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About the Network

Funding Source:  Henry H. Kessler Foundation

Grant Award:  $89,795 Year 1 (2005);  $83,375 Year 2 (2006)

Project Director:  Jackie Lue Raia (CEO, Partnership for Community Health)

Bergen Community College with The Partnership for Community Health, Inc. and its partners created the Northern New Jersey Disabilities Network (NNJDN) in 2005 as an advocacy, education, and support network designed to enhance quality of life for people dealing with disabilities. It was made possible by a 2-year grant totalling $174,170 from the Henry H. Kessler Foundation.

Bergen Community College (BCC) and The Partnership for Community Health, Inc. (PCH) provide leadership in developing the Network.  BCC coordinates the educational program component while PCH coordinates the health services component of the program. Other partners in this Network project include: Fairleigh Dickinson University, Special Needs Center for Students With Learning Disabilities; the Bergen County Division on Disability Services; Dewitt and Associates, an adaptive and assistive technology company; Heightened Independence for Progress; ComedyCures; the Bergen County Workforce Investment Board; and several local school districts.

This project addresses the growing need for a formalized system of communication, resource-sharing, and support across the K-12 system, colleges, health services providers, special education practitioners, researchers and experts, national leaders, young people with disabilities and their families. It has 3 goals:

(1)   To build a network structure to foster proactive institutional connections and expand barrier-free communication and support among all stake-holders concerned with improving quality of life for people with disabilities.

(2)   Develop educational programming to expand awareness and understanding of issues concerning disabilities. Initial educational programming involves a series of free public forums on eight major topics annually.

(3)   Make available an interactive knowledge base of institutions, information, resources, interventions, providers, and supportive services.  This will help to disseminate existing expertise, identify existing service delivery gaps, expand accessibility and improve quality of service.