Advocacy

“Advocacy is so important in enabling individuals with developmental and/or physical disabilities the opportunity to live healthy, safe and enjoyable lives.”

Spectrum’s Founding Parents
Over the years, Spectrum for Living has advocated for the rights of people with disabilities ensuring accessibility, opportunity, independence and dignity. Spectrum for Living and its constituents have played a major role in advocating for thousands of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families in New Jersey.

Spectrum for Living:

• Created the first barrier-free group home in New Jersey
• Lead the advocacy to have the state of New Jersey State change the Division of Mental Retardation to the Division of Developmental Disabilities
• Established waiting list initiatives
• Supported the Olmstead Act to move people out of institutions into the community
• Participated in the Cost of Providing Care Coalition to advocate for funding increases
• Supported the Americans with Disabilities Act
• Is a founding member of the Alliance for the Betterment of Citizens with Disabilities (ABCD) along with three other provider agencies to advocate for people with complex medical disabilities
• United Way of Bergen and Passaic Counties, Bergen County Disability Services Advisory Committee, Middlesex and Bergen County Chambers of Commerce, and The Community Resource Council.

Spectrum’s continued involvement and association with other provider organizations and advocacy groups creates a vast network of opportunities to better serve those individuals within the Spectrum Family as well as those in the community in need of service. Today, Spectrum’s advocacy efforts are stronger than ever with a network of parents and clients working together to ensure the rights and dignity of people with disabilities is not diminished. If you are interested in joining our advocacy efforts, please contact us at our Spectrum for Living Administrative offices by calling 201-358-8000.