Union County Freeholders Distribute PPE to Adults with Disabilities

Union County, NJ – To help continue “flattening the curve” of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is distributing masks and gloves to adults with disabilities who are participants in the Personal Assistance Services Program (PASP).  Distribution of the personal protective equipment began this week through the County’s Office for Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs.

The masks and gloves were provided through a partnership with the New Jersey Division of Disability Services, as part of a statewide initiative to provide 500 PASP participants with protective equipment at no cost during the COIVD-19 outbreak.

“During the outbreak, PASP has continued to provide resources that enable people with disabilities to live independently, and proper protective equipment is an important part of that effort. We thank Governor Murphy and our partners in New Jersey State government for working diligently to protect our residents during this crisis,” said Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella.

“We established the Office for Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs in an effort to ensure that public resources are available to people who are all too often overlooked. Since then it has become an invaluable part of County services, and it has become a vital part of our COVID-19 response efforts,” said Freeholder Sergio Granados, who is the Freeholder liaison to the Human Services Advisory Board. Freeholder Granados launched the first Office for People with Special Needs in New Jersey during his tenure as Chairman in 2018.

PASP is a statewide program for individuals with physical disabilities, administered by each county in New Jersey. The program helps those with physical disabilities live independently and remain active in their communities, by providing assistance with activities of daily living such as meal preparation, laundry, light housekeeping, dressing, bathing, shopping and errands.

The program provides up to 40 hours per week of routine, non-medical personal care assistance for adults with permanent physical disabilities ages 18-70 who are employed, preparing for employment, attending school or involved in community volunteer work, and who are able to self-direct their own services.

In Union County, PASP is administered by the Office for Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs. The Office is part of the Division of Individual and Family Support Services under the Union County Department of Human Services.

For more information about PASP, including eligibility for assistance, contact Helen Alvarado, Coordinator, 908-527-4845.

For information about all Department of Human Services programs, visit online at ucnj.org/human-services or contact the DHS Action Line at 888-845-3434.

For more information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak, including guidance for the Test Center, visit ucnj.org/coronavirus-update.

For general information about COVID-19 and phone contacts for 24/7 assistance with questions, visit the New Jersey Department of Health at nj.gov/health.