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Announcing Our New Quarterly Newsletter
We’re thrilled to introduce Caregiver Network News, a dedicated resource for caregivers across New Jersey. This newsletter is designed to inform you about the latest advocacy efforts, legislative updates, coalition meetings, resources, and educational opportunities impacting caregivers and the individuals they support.
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The Caregiver's Assistance Act
New Jersey Assembly Bill A1581 and Senate Bill S2303, introduced in the 2024-2025 legislative session and collectively known as the “Caregiver’s Assistance Act," propose a gross income tax credit for qualified caregivers who incur expenses while caring for and supporting senior family members.
Key Provisions
Tax Credit Amount: The proposed legislation offers tax credit to eligible caregivers for expenses related to the care of a qualifying senior family member.
Eligibility Criteria: To qualify, caregivers must meet specific income thresholds and provide care to senior family members who meet specific criteria.
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Legislative Status
S2303: Introduced in the Senate on January 25, 2024, and referred to the Senate Health, Human Services, and Senior Citizens Committee.
A1581: Introduced in the Assembly on January 9, 2024, and referred to the Assembly Aging and Human Services Committee.
These bills aim to provide financial relief to caregivers, acknowledging their significant role in supporting senior family members. Both bills are under committee review, and further legislative action is pending.
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Key Provisions of the Act Include
Funding Allocation
Research Expansion
Focus on Communication Needs
Workforce Development
Interagency Coordination
Overall, the Autism CARES Act of 2024 aims to advance research, improve services, and foster greater collaboration to support individuals with autism across their lifespan.
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Upcoming Advocacy Opportunities in the Community | |
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For more information about existing Caregiver Coalitions or to form a new coalition, please contact coalitions@njcaregivers.org
We are looking for a co-chair for the South Tri-County Caregiver Coalition group.
The South Tri-County Coalition covers Gloucester, Salem, and Cumberland counties. For more information about this volunteer opportunity, please contact coalitions@njcaregivers.org.
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Upcoming Caregiver Coalition Meetings
Ocean County Caregivers Coalition meets on the last Tuesday of every month.
- March 25, 2025 at the Silverwoods Assisted Living at 11:30 AM. Refreshments will be served.
- April 29, 2025 at the Silverwoods Assisted Living (1700 Route 37 W, Toms River, NJ 08757) at 11:30 AM. Refreshments will be served.
Monmouth County Caregivers Coalition meets on the 3rd Wednesday of every month.
- March 19, 2025 at Mire Vie at Tinton Falls (1 Hartford Dr, Tinton Falls, NJ 07701) at 12:30 PM.
- April 16, 2025. Location TBA.
Middlesex County Caregivers Coalition meets of 4th Wednesday of every month.
- March 26, 2025 at CareOne Assisted Living at East Brunswick (599 Cranbury Rd, East Brunswick, NJ 08816) at 9:30 AM. Breakfast will be served.
- April 23, 2025 at CareOne Assisted Living at East Brunswick (599 Cranbury Rd, East Brunswick, NJ 08816) at 9:30 AM. Breakfast will be served.
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Special Enrollment Period for Health Insurance
Life changes—your health plan should, too! Open Enrollment has ended, but you may qualify for the Special Enrollment Period. The FRN Navigators are here to guide you every step of the way.
Financial assistance is available to make coverage more affordable—individuals earning up to $90,360 annually and families earning up to $187,200 annually may qualify. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by.
Call us at 800-355-0271 or visit FrnNavigator.org to get started today. Let FRN Navigators help you find the plan that fits your changing needs.
National Caregivers Conference 2026
Date & location to be announced. Sign up for our mailing list to be the first to get updates
FRN Information & Referral Line 800-372-6510
Dementia Care Family Support Pilot Program
Receive 5 free sessions with a certified caregiving consultant to resolve 3 care challenges
Ocean County Caregiver Directory
www.oceancaregivers.com
Monmouth County Caregiver Directory
www.monmouthcaregivers.com
Respite Services
FRN offers one-on-one and group respite services for youth ages 3-21, including in-home respite care, self-directed respite, and after-school respite care. FRN also supports individuals ages 21 and older through one-on-one and group respite services and weekend respite retreats. For more information, please get in touch with Michael Pearson at mpearson@familyresourcenetwork.org.
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Call for Stories
Sandy Tovray Greenberg and Tovah Segelman Spring are a mother-daughter duo who participated in the National Caregivers Conference 2024 as breakout session speakers. They are collaborating once again to publish a book that highlights stories honoring hired caregivers.
If you would like to contribute stories about outstanding hired caregivers to the book, please email stovray@yahoo.com.
Your story will be presented to the judges, and if selected, you will receive a byline in the book and two copies of the book.
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Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr., of New Jersey's Sixth District wants to hear from you. If you are a New Jersey family who would be impacted by proposed Medicaid cuts, please share your story here. | | |
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Scholarships Available
Autism, Epilepsy, Blind and Visually Impaired. Applications are due Friday, April 25, 2025. For more information, please visit this link
Webinars
The Family Resource Network offers online webinars to bring you information and education – on your time, at your convenience. Webinar topics include Housing, Caregiver Paid Leave, Autism, Developmental Disabilities, Epilepsy, and many others. To view our upcoming webinar schedule or archived recordings, please visit Resources - Family Resource Network
Epilepsy Services of NJ is a state-approved provider of seizure recognition and response training. Training and in-services on the medical, educational, and social impact of epilepsy available to any interested organizations. Specialized training available for: school nurses, school personnel, students, seniors, first responders, and law enforcement. For more information, please visit this page.
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