CTC Connections
Information and Resource Hub
Information and Resource Hub
On this site you will find a vast array of local, state and national resources and organizations dedicated to supporting children, families, and professionals.
Something for every member of your Family and Educational & Community Teams!
Resources are divided into TOPICS with a dropdown list for each
We encourage you to explore, connect, and utilize the vast resources available.
The knowledge you will gain, the confidence it will afford you in your journey, and the community connections you will secure are invaluable!
It takes a Village! Start expanding yours here!
“The next best thing to knowing something is knowing where to find it.”
~ Samuel Johnson
The information and resources provided on this webpage is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute endorsement or professional advice. The resources are provided without affiliation or warranty of any kind by Celebrate the Children (CTC), and we are not responsible for any content accessed on these sites.
Browse these NJ Government Agencies for services and information that serve individuals with disabilities at local, county and state levels.
New Jersey State Website
New Jersey Department of Education https://www.nj.gov/education/
New Jersey Dept. of Human Services https://www.nj.gov/humanservices/
NJ Division of Disability Services https://www.nj.gov/humanservices/dds/
NJ Division of Developmental Disabilities - DDD https://www.nj.gov/humanservices/ddd/
NJ Dept. of Children and Families
The Children's System of Care (CSOC) www.nj.gov/dcf/about/divisions
PerformCare: www.performcarenj.org
Disability Information Hub - Resources for Individuals with Disabilities and the People Who Support Them https://www.nj.gov/disabilities/
NJHelps
NJDOE Parental Rights in Special Education Handbook
www.nj.gov/education/ParentalRights
NJ Office of the Ombudsman for Individuals with IDD and Their Families
Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Please refer to the calendar at the bottom of this page for information and registration.
Organizations dedicated to meeting the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families and professional teams.
The Arc of NJ
Local Chapters: www.arcnj.org/about/local_chapters
Family Institute Archived Webinars: www.thearcfamilyinstitute.org
Go Bags - Topic Specific Resources: www.thearcfamilyinstitute.org/go-bags
Podcasts: www.thearcfamilyinstitute
Fact Sheets: www.thearcfamilyinstitute/guide
Navigating the Medicaid System: https://www.thearcfamilyinstitute.org
Planning for Adult Life: https://planningforadultlife.org/
Rutgers Health/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School - The Boggs Center on Disability and Human Development boggscenter.rwjms.rutgers.edu
Publications: boggscenter/publications
Resources: boggscenter.ActEarlyResilienceToolkit
Developmental Disabilities Lecture Series: boggscenter./conferences-lecture-series
Browse through a wide array of educational sites and discover resources for both school and home.
WNET Education
https://www.wnet.org/education/
Schoolhouse Rock TV
Khan Academy
Common Sense Education Digital Resources
PBS Learning Media
https://ny.pbslearningmedia.org/
Ken Burns in the Classroom pbslearningmedia/kenburnsclassroom
Netflix Educational Documentaries www.youtube.com/playlist
PBS Let's Learn:
PBS Camp TV
PBS Crash Course
pbslearningmedia.org/collection
Denville Public Library
https://www.denvillelibrary.org/
Classroom Closeup
Described and Captioned Media Program
How Does It Grow?
Life Lab
The Edible Schoolyard
edibleschoolyard.org/curricula
NC State University STEM
School Gardens
stem.plantsforhumanhealth.ncsu.edu
ANJEE Alliance for Environmental Education Resource Hub
The New Jersey School of Conservation (NJSOC)
njsoc.org/educational-resources
Kindness 101 with Steve Hartman
Jungle Jordan
Planet Word Museum https://planetwordmuseum.org/
Destress Mondays
https://www.org/destress-Monday
Storyline Online
TEDEd Earth School
TEDed Educational Content
BBC Earth World
National Park Service
NPS Find Your Virtual Park
www.nps.gov/find-your-virtual-park
Discover the Forest
https://discovertheforest.org/
Learning for Justice
https://www.learningforjustice.org/
Library of Congress
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
https://naturalhistory.si.edu/
Learning Lab: learninglab.si.edu
History Explorer: americanhistory.si.edu
The Metropolitan Museum of Art #metkids
Duke Farms
Eagle Cams: www.eagle-cam
Conserve Wildlife Foundation NJ
https://conservewildlifenj.org/
Scholastic
edWeb
edutopia
Teach Rock
How to Smile - STEM Activities
Chess .com
Chess Wizards
Girl Rising
Sproutflix
American Museum of Natural History
National Museum of African American History & Culture
The National WWII Museum
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Liberty Science Center
How to Adult
Go Noodle
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Explorers
NJ Audubon
Cornell Lab
Bird Cams: www.allaboutbirds.cams
The Raptor Trust
https://www.theraptortrust.org/
Earth Day .org
NASA
Hubble Space Telescope: science.nasa
NJ Highlands Coalition
National Geographic Kids
NatGeo Education: www.natgeo/learn
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Networks (CoCoRaHS)
Browse through entities, organizations and resources available to support and advocate for your child and family.
NJ Department of Human Services
Main Page: https://www.state.nj.us
Disability Information Hub: https://www.nj.gov
Family Resource Network
www.familyresourcenetwork.org/
The Arc of New Jersey
SPAN Parent Advocacy Network
Main Page:spanadvocacy.org/
Family WRAP Project Resource Specialists: spanadvocacy.org/programs
Center for Parent Information & Resources
Family Support Organizations
by County
www.nj.gov/dcf/families/support
Wrightslaw
The New Jersey Self-Advocacy Program
Best Buddies
Disability Rights New Jersey
disabilityrightsnj/resource-library
The NJ Council on Developmental Disabilities (NJCDD)
NJCDD Regional Family Support Planning Councils
Community Health Law Project
Morris & Sussex ResourceNet www.morrissussexresourcenet.org
Bergen County CAPE Resource Center
Art, Recreation and Play are crucial for holistic development, fostering creativity, cognitive growth, social-emotional skills, and physical health by providing outlets for self-expression, stress relief, problem-solving, and confidence-building in ways structured activities often can't, essential for both children and adults. They nurture imagination, teach vital life skills like teamwork and resilience, and help individuals understand themselves and the world, making them fundamental to well-being
Best Buddies
Cartooning Club How to Draw
https://www.youtube.com/channel
The Game Gal Family Friendly Games
Mayo Performing Arts Center Miracle Project
www.mayoarts/the-miracle-project
Words Bookstore
https://wordsbookstore.com/about-us
Special Olympics New Jersey
Monarchs Skate & Hockey Program
No Labels Boxing Fitness www.nolabelsboxing/adaptive-fitness
The West Morris YMCA www.wmaymca.org/programs/ddd
Autism Sports Academy
https://autismsportsacademynj.com/
Downtown Denville
Morris County Challenger Little League
Matheny Arts Access
https://artsaccessprogram.org/
Little Notes Music School
https://littlenotesmusicschool.com/
Autism NJ Community Programs
https://www.navigateresources.net
Liberty Science Center
United Astronomy Clubs of New Jersey
Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Networks (CoCoRaHS)
The Metropolitan Museum of Art https://archived/art/online-features
National Park Service
NPS Find Your Virtual Park
www.nps.gov/find-your-virtual-park
Discover the Forest
https://discovertheforest.org/
Union County Performing Arts Center
ucpac.org/sensory-friendly-theatre
Chess Lessons
Chess Wizards - Strategies for Life
GameU
Guides & Toolkits to help you navigate resources
New Jersey Dept. of Human Services, Division of Disability Resources Directory
nj.gov/humanservices/NJResources
Spanish Edition: nj.gov/ResourcesSpanish
NJDHS-DDD Supports Program and Community Care Program Quick Guide for Families
The Arc Family Institute Go Bags
The Go Bag was created to help you be the best ADVOCATE you can be for your loved one with an intellectual or developmental disability. A Go Bag is a simple collection of necessary resources about a specific topic. The topics will vary but the message is the same. Be Prepared!
www.thearcfamilyinstitute/go-bags
The NJ Council on Developmental Disabilities Supports Guides and Handbooks
njcdd/nj-supports-program-guides
Autism Speaks Tool Kits
https://www.autismspeaks.org/tool-kit
The September 26th Project - Emergency Preparedness https://www.september26.org/
Celebrate the Children Outreach Program for Emergency Responders
Wrightslaw
Topics from A-Z
Parents, advocates, teachers, and attorneys come to Wrightslaw for reliable, up-to-date information about special education law and advocacy for children with disabilities. www.wrightslaw.com/topics
The Arc of NJ Fact Sheets & Flyers
https://www.arcnj.org/resources
Voting: It's Your Right
NDI Financial Wellness Tools www.nationaldisabilityinstitute.org
Transition is a formal process of long-range cooperative planning that will assist students with disabilities to successfully move from school into the adult world. High quality transition planning and services will enable students with disabilities to pursue their desired postsecondary goals.
NJ DOE Transition Toolkit - School to Adult Life
https://www.nj.gov/njtransition/
State of NJ Ombudsman - Transition Resources
Disability Rights New Jersey
disabilityrightsnj.org/how-we-help
NJ Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) www.nj.gov/humanservices/ddd
Transition: nj.gov/ddd/transition
Graduate Timeline: graduates-timeline
The Arc Family Institute Go Bags
The Go Bag was created to help you be the best ADVOCATE you can be for your loved one with an intellectual or developmental disability. A Go Bag is a simple collection of necessary resources about a specific topic. The topics will vary but the message is the same. Be Prepared! www.thearcfamilyinstitute/resources
New Jersey Comprehensive Assessment Tool (NJCAT) www.nj.gov/individuals/assessment/
NJCAT Guide: The Arc NJCAT Guide LINK
Community-Based Instruction (CBI) www.nj.gov/education/CBI
New Jersey Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services www.nj.gov/labor/career-services
SCARC Guardianship Services, Inc. www.scarcguardianship.org
Transition to Adulthood for Young Adults with Developmental Disabilities: A Timeline for Parents boggscenter./transition-to-adulthood-timeline
DDD Timeline for Students Exiting School & Turning 21 www.nj.gov/ddd/graduates-timeline.pdf
The Arc Planning for Adult Life
https://planningforadultlife.org/
Pacer Center - Transition Planning for Youth with Disabilities age 14-21
https://www.pacer.org/advice-guidance
Wrightslaw
Rutgers CLEP Transition to Adult Services
clep.rutgers.transition-adult-services
Understanding Self-Directed Services boggscenter.rutgers/resources
NJDHS-DDD Supports Program and Community Care Program Quick Guide for Families
Why do I need to know Disability History?
Exposure to disability history gives everyone a sense of where we’ve been and where we need to go. Being aware of and understanding the people and events that are responsible for or contributed to our entitlement to a “free and appropriate public education” or the development of “self-determination” are only two examples of achievements made by people with disabilities for people with disabilities. They give us as a people, a context for developing and feeling a sense of pride in ourselves and our disabilities.
Disability History Museum
https://www.disabilitymuseum.org/
The Disability History Association
The New Jersey transportation system has programs to assist individuals with disabilities in traveling around the state. These programs provide different modes of transportation as well as different levels of support to provide a safe trip.
New Jersey Transit Reduced Fare Program
www.njtransit/reduced-fare-program
New Jersey Transportation Resources www.nj.gov/njombudsman/transportation
Access Link ADA Paratransit
www.njtransit.com/access-link-ada
Morris Area Paratransit System (MAPS) www.morriscountynj.gov/MAPS
Morris County Dial-a-Ride
www.morriscountynj.gov/Dial-a-Ride
New Jersey Guide to Accessible Parking
www.nj.gov/guide-to-accessible-parking
New Jersey Travel Independence Program at Rutgers (NJTIP) https://vtc.rutgers.edu/njtip/
NJ Transit
Avenues in Motion
Transportation Options in NJ
https://nj211.org/transportation-options
ZIPRIDE
Healthcare resources for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families, caregivers and teams.
The Arc of NJ Health Care Advocacy
www.arcnj/health-care-advocacy
Catching Up with Connor Archive, The Arc Health Care Advocacy Director
www.arcnj/catching-up-with-connor
Health Care Advocacy Webinar Library
www.arcnj.org/advocacy/webinars
Health Care Fact Sheets & Flyers
www.arcnj/health-care-resources
Dental Care Resources www.thearcfamilyinstitute.org/dental
Mental Health Resources www.thearcfamilyinstitute/resources
Family Caregiver Resources www.thearcfamilyinstitute/resources
My Binder: A Virtual Tool to Keep You Organized
www.thearcfamilyinstitute/my-binder
Beverly Roberts Memorial Healthcare Symposium
www.arcnj/beverly-roberts-symposium
Healthy Lifestyles Project www.arcnj/njsap/healthylifestyles
Social Security Resources
www.arcnj/social-security-resources
Medicaid Resources
Dual-Eligibles (Medicaid & Medicare)
Dual Diagnosis Crisis Handbook
www.arcnj/dual-diagnosis-resources
NJSAP Disaster Preparedness Webinar
www.arcnj/be-prepared-and-ready
NJCDD Health & Safety White Paper
njcdd/health-safety-white-paper
RWJBarnabas Health Children's Specialized Hospital www.rwjbh/childrens-specialized
Rowan Medicine Regional Integrated Special Needs
Rutgers Health The Boggs Center on Disability and Human Development Robert Wood Johnson Medical School boggscenter/about-the-center
Syracuse University Healthy Monday
Helpful sites to help with homework
Khan Academy
Scholastic
https://www.scholastic.com/learn-at-home
PBS Learning Media
https://ny.pbslearningmedia.org/student
PBS Let's Learn
Schoolhouse Rock
PBS Crash Course
Federal Agencies and Resources
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Social Security
https://www.ssa.gov/disability
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Application Process & Rights
Office of Disability Employment Policy www.gov/agencies/odep
Described and Captioned Media Program
Resources to help prepare for the transition from entitlements to eligibility
The Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities
https://boggscenter.rwjms.rutgers.edu/
Selecting a Support Coordination Agency: boggscenter.rutgers.edu/resources
Transition to Adulthood for Young Adults with I/DD, A Timeline for Parents: boggscenter.rutgers.edu/resources
Developmental Disabilities Lecture Series: boggscenter.rutgers.edu/conferences
Lecture Series Video Library Archive: boggscenter.rutgers.edu/video-library
Supportive Housing Association of NJ
The Community Living Education Project (CLEP), Rutgers https://clep.rutgers.edu/
PLAN NJ, Planned Lifetime Assistance Network of NJ
Project Hire, The Arc of NJ arcnj/programs/project-hire
It is important to plan for your child's future and understand the financial and legal responsibilities and implications while supporting choice and self-determination, dignity & respect.
ABLE National Resource Center - Achieving a Better Life Experience
NJ ABLE: savewithable/nj/home
Supplemental Security Income
National Disability Institute www.nationaldisabilityinstitute.org
Hinkle Prior Fischer & Oberweis Attorneys at Law
Representing people with disabilities and their families since 1974
SCARC Guardianship Services, Inc. www.scarcguardianship.org
SCARC Pro Se Guardianship Webinar Recording https://vimeo.com/
Freeman Law Offices LLC
Special Needs Attorneys
National Disability Institute www.nationaldisabilityinstitute.org
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Focus on People with Disabilities Companion Guide educator-tools/your-money-your-goals
Con 'Em If You Can, The Game conemifyoucan.org
FDIC - How Money Smart Are You? playmoneysmart.fdic.gov/games
Special Needs Financial Planning Videos northwesternmutual/nick-wallace/special-needs-planning
Assistive technology is defined as any item, piece of equipment, or system, whether acquired commercially, modified, or customized, that is commonly used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.
NJ DHS Commission for the Blind & Visually Impaired www.nj.gov/humanservices/services
Assistive Technology Center at TCN
The Arc Family Institute Assistive Technology Go Bag https://www.thearcfamilyinstitute
Richard West Assistive Technology Advocacy Center (ATAC) https://at4nj.org/
Pacer Center Assistive Technology
www.pacer.org/assistive-technology
Rutgers CLEP Assistive Technology Resources
clep.rutgers.edu/assistive-technology
The Richard West Assistive Technology Advocacy Center (ATAC)
Wise words to sustain your journey...
"To know the road ahead, ask those coming back."
-Chinese Proverb
"It may be when we no longer know what to do, we have come to our real work, and that when we no longer know which way to go, we have begun our real journey."
-Wendell Berry
The world needs all kinds of minds TED Talk by Temple Grandin https://www.ted.com/talks/temple_grandin
"Life is what you make of it. Always has been, always will be."
-Grandma Moses
Comparison is the thief of joy.
-Theodore Roosevelt
"Some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking a moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious ambiguity."
-Gilda Radner
Creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson challenges the way we're educating our children. https://www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson
Strong Winds - Strong Roots: What trees teach us about life.
A great experiment in the desert called the biodome created a living environment for human, plant and animal life. A huge glass dome was constructed to house an artificial, controlled environment with purified air and water, healthy soil and filtered light. The intent was to afford perfect growing conditions for trees, fruits and vegetables, as well as humans.
People lived in the biodome, for many months at a time, and everything seemed to do well with one exception. When the trees reached a certain height, they would topple over. It baffled scientists until they realized they forgot to include a natural element of wind. Trees need wind to blow against them because it causes their root systems to grow deeper, which supports the tree as it grows taller.
Who among us doesn't long for a perfect growing environment for ourselves, with no disruptions from outside influences? We strive to avoid the times of contrast and tension, when life's daily challenges push against us. When they do, the normal tendency is to curse them. If trees could talk, would we hear them curse the wind each time they encountered a storm?
We can learn a great deal from nature's wisdom at work if we are open to the lesson. Watch how a tree bends and sways gracefully when the wind blows against it. It does not stand rigid, resisting the flow of energy. It does not push back. The tree accepts the strong wind as a blessing that helps it grow.
Such experiences develop our character and deepen our spiritual roots. When we grow deep, we too, can stand tall.
-Dennis Merritt Jones
Letting go of labels reveals the fullness of life - a Ted Talk by Heather Lanier www.ted/talks/heatherlanier
Whenever possible we will post CTC Connections Parent/Professional Training Webinar Recordings and Presentation Slides here along with recordings from various agencies and organizations.
Lost in Translation: Understanding "Failure to Thrive" in Teens & Young Adults with IDD attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording
SCARC Pro Se Guardianship Webinar Recording https://vimeo.com/
When Everyone Depends on You: The Legal Roadmap to Supporting Aging Parents and Siblings with Disabilities
The Community Living Education Project (CLEP) Past Webinar Recordings youtube.com/@SPHCLEP/videos
BoggsCast: A Podcast by The Boggs Center on Disability and Human Development theboggscenter.podbean.com