RESOLVED, that the 140th Annual Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark express its disagreement with the finding and conclusion of the Task Force on Closure of Developmental Centers; opposing the closing of the Woodbridge Developmental Center (WDC) and North Jersey Developmental Center (NJDC) as vital and valuable resources and that all seven state-operated developmental centers should be kept in operation for the benefit of its residents, employees and the state in which they provide service; And be it further
RESOLVED, that the Secretary of Convention send certified copies of this Resolution to Governor Chris Christie, all State Senators and Assemblymen and Assemblywomen that represent all the Districts within the Episcopal Diocese of Newark.
(Consent calendar.)
Supporting Information
The State has decided by a Task Force report to close the only two Developmental Centers in Northern New Jersey. All the Centers that would remain open are in central and far southern NJ making a hardship and in some cases an impossibility for the parents and guardians of these mentally and disabled residents the ability to visit them. A Federal mandate states that the individual States in the U.S.A. must give a choice to remain in a Center or be placed in a community home which is privately operated. The mandate does not state that Centers need to be closed. It has been reported a higher mortality rate and high employee turnover at these private facilities without the immediate medical care that many of these residents need would be detrimental to these residents. It has been reported there are as many as 8,000 people on a waiting list in New Jersey to get placement in one of the State Developmental Centers.
Submitted by Mr. Gary Yacono, St. James' Ridgefield, Ms. Cheryl Yacono, St. James' Ridgefield, Ms. Diane Pollock, St. James’ Ridgefield, The Reverend Mariano Gargiulo, Rector, St. James' Ridgefield.
