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New Jersey Partners in Policymaking Welcomes
Class of 2026-2027
| | New Jersey Partners in Policymaking welcomes the class of 2026-2027! New Jersey Partners in Policymaking is a leadership development and advocacy education program for adults with disabilities and family members available through collaboration between the New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities (NJCDD), The Boggs Center on Disability and Human Development, and Disability Rights New Jersey, and funded by NJCDD. This year’s program launched with an in-person weekend session held in New Brunswick on September 18th and 19th. Over the course of the next 9 months, this year’s class will be prepared to work toward meaningful change in our state through learning about best practices and important areas for advocacy from nationally-known experts. | | |
Frontline Supervisor Training Program
Accepting Applications for 2026-2027
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The Boggs Center on Disability and Human Development is offering a 13-session, 8-month Frontline Supervisor Training Program focused on developing knowledge, skills, and abilities based on the National Frontline Supervisor Competency set.
The program, developed by the University of Minnesota Institute on Community Integration's Direct Support Workforce Solutions, is a blended learning model which combines online, asynchronous lessons from the College of Direct Support with monthly, live online and in-person training sessions.
Participants will learn about:
- Supporting, coaching, training, and developing direct support workers to provide quality direct support
- Developing and promoting strong professional relationships within teams
- The implementation of strategies to support the retention of well-trained direct support workers
- Supporting employee self-care and professionalism in the development of leadership skills
- Developing a network of colleagues to promote continued collaboration, professional development, and support as they develop as supervisors and leaders.
Interested Frontline Supervisors must apply to be considered for the program. Full participation, with agency support, is required. Agency support must be demonstrated through submission of a letter of recommendation.
Space is limited and acceptance will be determined based on the number and quality of applications. Applications must be submitted by September 28, 2026 and applicants will be notified of acceptance by October 5, 2026.
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The sixth season of BoggsCast, a podcast by The Boggs Center on Disability and Human Development, launched earlier this month with an episode on shaping inclusive perspectives and accessible spaces featuring Emily Voorde, MEd, MPP, founder and CEO of INTO Strategies. Through Emily’s lived experience and policy expertise, listeners will explore systemic barriers, the transformative power of storytelling, and small but impactful changes that enhance access and belonging for people with disabilities.
All BoggsCast episodes and full transcripts are available on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify apps and websites. Be sure to subscribe to stay up to date with the latest episodes.
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Fall 2026 Developmental Disabilities
Lecture Series Webinars
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Registration is open for the Developmental Disabilities Lecture Series, a community and continuing education program for professionals, policymakers, people with disabilities, and family members to enhance knowledge and skills in innovative approaches and state of the art practices in the field of developmental disabilities.
The webinars are free of charge and open to people who live or work in New Jersey. Space is limited and advanced registration is required.
The Fall 2026 Series features the following presentations:
- Unlocking Solutions: Meeting the Real-World Needs of People with Co-Occurring Conditions - Stacy Nonnemacher, PhD
- Exploring the NADSP Revised 2026 Code of Ethics - Joseph M. Macbeth & John Raffaele, MSW
- Beyond the Transition: Two Journeys of Success - Shelbi Davenport, MS & Travis Davis, MS
- The Road Less Traveled: The Intersection of Quality Culture and Person Centered Practice - Mary Lou Bourne
| | Free Screening of LIFE AFTER at Rutgers Cinema | | |
The Boggs Center is partnering with Rutgers Cinema to offer a free screening of LIFE AFTER, a gripping investigative documentary from Sundance-winning, disabled filmmaker Reid Davenport.
In 1983, a disabled California woman named Elizabeth Bouvia sought the "right to die," igniting a national debate about autonomy and the value of disabled lives. After years of courtroom battles, Bouvia vanished from public view. Decades later, Davenport sets out to find what really happened to her, and to reveal why her story is so urgently relevant today.
Weaving together the often missing voices of the disability community, LIFE AFTER examines the assisted dying debate with rare honesty. It challenges the assumption that assisted dying is always a free choice, showing how, for some, it can become the only option left. The film asks a question that lingers long after the credits roll: why is it acceptable to give disabled people the means to die, before supporting them in the chance to live?
Date: Thursday, October 15th
Time: 6:00 PM
Location: Rutgers Cinema, 105 Joyce Kilmer Ave., Piscataway, NJ 08554
Registration: Space is limited and registration is required
Parking: Free parking is available from 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM. Click here to register for parking. For questions and instructions related to parking, refer to the Event Parking Guide.
Questions: Contact Jillian Guzik with any questions about this event.
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Boggs Center Subject Matter Experts to
Present at NJAPSE Summit 2026
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The Boggs Center’s Robert Kimmel, EdD, BCBA, CESP, and Jessica Short, MHRM, CESP, will present at the upcoming NJAPSE Summit 2026, Reaching New Heights: Finding Your Place in Competitive Integrated Employment on Friday, October 9th. Stefanie Rinaldi, National APSE Board Member and NJAPSE Immediate Past President will deliver the keynote and a panel of distinguished experts will talk about supports that connect those living with complex needs with Competitive Integrated Employment.
Date: Friday, October 9th
Time: 9:30 AM - 3:00 PM
Location: NJ Law Center, One Constitution Square, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Registration: Register by September 27. Admission is $110 for APSE Members and $135 for Non-members.
| | The Boggs Center offers training on topics relevant to addressing the needs of and supporting people with developmental disabilities and families across the life course. Visit The Boggs Center's Online Registration System for training courses on aging and grief, behavior and mental health, community supports, employment, health and wellness, supports brokerage, support coordination, transition to adulthood, workforce development and frontline supervision. | | |
The Boggs Center on Disability and Human Development
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Liberty Plaza, 335 George Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
732-235-9300 l boggscenter.rwjms.rutgers.edu
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