Community Programs

• Emergency Response Data Initiative - (collaborative with law enforcement) – Parents are offered a data sheet where they can outline detailed information pertaining to their child’s disability and anticipated emergency support needs. This information is entered into the police department database and can be shared by all emergency service personnel within the township in the event of an emergency call placed to that home or for that child. It is our intention to collaborate with all police departments throughout Somerset and the surrounding counties.
  Click here for program materials
  
• “Care to Share” Friendly Restaurants – We provide training to local restaurateurs and their personnel on how to improve community relationships with families and children with special needs. Restaurants agree to try to make simple accommodations to families with special needs children such as heating foods families travel with for dietary restrictions, seating families in quieter areas, lowering music and lights when it is amenable and even “holding” a table if called in advance so that the family can dine in a location most comfortable to accommodate their needs. All restaurants involved in the program will be able to be identified by the “Care to Share Friendly” label in the window and will be listed as a provider both on the back of a “family dining card” and on our website, increasing exposure and building awareness in their community. Families can feel comfortable dine together in these restaurants knowing that their community respects and cares about trying to accommodate some of their basic needs while dining.
• The FRIENDS Program – (Forming Meaningful Community Relationships) – It is our intention to help a child with a disability foster a core group of friends within their community. Circles can be created to include peers who share the same hobbies and interests in and outside of school.