NJ Ombudsman for Individuals with Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities

06/02/2026

Hurricane Season in New Jersey is from June 1st till November 30th!

Make sure you and your loved ones are with the Office of Emergency Management!

Register Ready provides New Jersey residents & families with disabilities or different support needs with an opportunity to volunteer information to emergency response agencies. By providing information - in the case of an emergency, first responders can make educated decisions on how to best assist each family.

If interested, register here: https://njsp.njoag.gov/njoem/plan-prepare/protective-actions/register-ready/

To learn more about the Office of Emergency Management, check out their website: https://nj.gov/humanservices/oem/index.shtml

05/29/2026

Governor Sherrill Appoints Lisa Montalbano as Ombudsman for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Posted on 05/29/2026

TRENTON – Governor Mikie Sherrill today announced the appointment of Lisa Montalbano to serve as Ombudsman for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and their Families. Montalbano will lead the Office of the IDDO dedicated to helping individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families navigate New Jersey's systems of care and access State resources that facilitate independence and dignity.

“I am thrilled to appoint Lisa Montalbano to serve as Ombudsman for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Lisa brings more than two decades of experience connecting individuals with disabilities and their families with opportunities. I am confident that under her leadership, this Office will serve as an invaluable resource in ensuring New Jersey residents can connect with the State’s diverse array of supports and services," said Governor Sherrill.

"I am honored to be appointed to serve as New Jersey's Ombudsman for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities," said Lisa Montalbano. “I look forward to partnering with the Governor to ensure New Jerseyans with intellectual and developmental disabilities can access the tools and resources to thrive.”

Pursuant to P.L. 2017, c. 269, the Ombudsperson’s roles include serving as a source of information for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their families; supporting navigation of the process for obtaining services and supports from the Department of Human Services and the Department of Children and Families; educating and acting neutrally and objectively to support dispute resolutions; and identifying patterns of complaints and relevant improvement strategies.

Montalbano served as the Chief Executive Officer of Employment Horizons, a non-profit focused on employment opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. During this time, she cultivated relationships across the IDD community, including especially with families throughout the state.

https://www.nj.gov/governor/news/2026/approved/20260529.shtml

05/26/2026

May is National Water Safety Month! To help promote safe practices with water, this Thursday, DDD is hosting a webinar titled - "Staying Safe in the Water: Summer Water Safety Awareness for Adults with IDD" with presenters from the Children's Specialized Hospital.

For more information & to register, please go here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1956947534456050006

05/20/2026

Tomorrow, May 21st, DDD & The New Jersey Department of Education, Offices of Special Education, will present an overview of the New Jersey Transition Toolkit!

To learn more about what will be discussed and register, please go here: dd21e1be-6beb-473f-8d4b-dd306537d80b@5711ee8f-5e83-4145-be03-c551134f4160" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/dd21e1be-6beb-473f-8d4b-dd306537d80b@5711ee8f-5e83-4145-be03-c551134f4160

05/19/2026

This month's DDD Update Webinar is next Thursday!

To register, go to this link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/9002977581828035162

05/15/2026

Pictured here with Executive Director LorieAnn Leconte, Christine participated in the New Jersey Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund Commission (the Fund) Family Town Hall earlier this week. This event offers an important opportunity for meaningful engagement, giving families and community stakeholders the chance to learn more about the Fund and our efforts to reach more New Jersey families in need of medical debt relief.

The Fund provides financial assistance to New Jersey families whose children have experienced an illness or condition not fully covered by their health plan, a state or federal program, or any other resource. Learn more about the fund here: https://nj.gov/humanservices/cicrf/

05/13/2026

Later this month, Disability Rights New Jersey will be hosting a webinar to go over their newly released - "Navigating Your Rights to Special Education in New Jersey: A Self-Advocacy Guide." If interested in attending, check out their post below!

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Our Office’s goal is to share content that is relevant to the I/DD community. If you are unable to access this post, please contact us at [email protected] for assistance.

📣 NEW Webinar Alert! 🚨

Disability Rights New Jersey's Children and Youth Practice Group attorneys will host a for users of our recently launched "Navigating Your Rights to Special Education in New Jersey: A Self-Advocacy Guide" to provide users with an inside look and demonstrate how to navigate through the features included.

✅When: Wednesday, May 27th at 3pm
✅Who Should Attend: Students with disabilities, Parents and Guardians of students with disabilities, and Advocates who support them
✅ What: Special Education Resource

👉Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/PFV0EKqVQbKOsb94ZWG5cw #/registration

05/11/2026

This Thursday, May 14th, DDD will be hosting a webinar to go over transitioning into the adult system & the DDD intake process!

To learn more about what will be discussed and register, please go here: 32ecd4b7-80a9-48c7-9a25-bb2c1d9da522@5711ee8f-5e83-4145-be03-c551134f4160" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/32ecd4b7-80a9-48c7-9a25-bb2c1d9da522@5711ee8f-5e83-4145-be03-c551134f4160

05/08/2026

A BIG thank you to everyone who stopped by our table at the NY/NJ Abilities Expo last week! Our team had a great time connecting and talking with self-advocates, families, and professionals in the field.

05/06/2026

Congratulations to our Long-Term Care Ombudsman colleague, Kisha Saffron, for her well-deserved recognition at the Civil Service Commission's State Employee Recognition Day. Our respective Offices have been co-located for the past six years, and Kisha has been a mentor for our team as we developed our new Office. LTCO remains a steadfast and important partner to us and in service to those with IDD in long-term care facilities.

NJ Elder Ombudsman