CHAPTER 112

An Act concerning the developmentally disabled and supplementing P.L.1965, c.59 (C.30:4-25.1 et seq.).

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

C.30:4-25.10 Short title.

    1.    This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Developmentally Disabled Uniform Application Act."

C.30:4-25.11 Application for determination of eligibility for services to developmentally disabled.

    2. a. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, an individual who may be eligible for early intervention services pursuant to P.L.1993, c.309 (C.26:1A-36.6 et seq.), functional services through the Division of Developmental Disabilities in the Department of Human Services pursuant to Title 30 of the Revised Statutes, or if the individual is developmentally disabled and may be eligible for special educational services pursuant to chapter 46 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes, shall make an initial, uniform application for the determination of eligibility for services with the department responsible for providing the services being requested at the time the application is made. In the case of a request for early intervention services, an initial application shall be made when a referral for an evaluation of the child is made. In the case of a request for special educational services, an initial application shall be made at the time a child study team conducts the initial evaluation.

    b.    The initial application shall contain: the name, address, telephone number and Social Security number of the applicant; relevant family information; the types of services requested or provided to the applicant; and a consent provision authorizing release of the initial, uniform application to a department, as applicable to the request for subsequent services. The disclosure of the applicant's Social Security number shall be voluntary and shall be requested pursuant to the federal Privacy Act of 1974, Pub.L. 93-579.

    c.    The initial application shall be accepted and used by all the departments enumerated in this section , as authorized by the applicant's consent, for each subsequent request for the provision of services. With each subsequent request for service, the respective department may ask the individual to provide updated information or additional information on specific developmental delays or medically diagnosed mental or physical conditions that is necessary to determine the individual's eligibility for the specific services requested.

C.30:4-25.12 Entry into cooperative agreements by departments.

    3.    The Departments of Health and Senior Services, Human Services and Education, respectively, shall enter into cooperative agreements with each other to develop the initial, uniform application form and to exchange necessary information, as authorized by the applicant's consent on the initial, uniform application, such as name, address, telephone number, Social Security number of the applicant, family information and the types of services requested by or provided to the applicant, to effectuate the purposes of this act.

    4.    This act shall take effect one year after enactment.

    Approved September 8, 2000.