The Boggs Center Celebrates New Jersey Partners in Policymaking 2022 Graduates

Friday, May 20, 2022

In a virtual ceremony held on Saturday April 9, 2022, The Boggs Center, New Jersey’s federally designated University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service, celebrated the graduation of its sixth Partners in Policymaking Class. New Jersey Partners in Policymaking is a leadership development and advocacy education program for adults with developmental disabilities (over age 21) and family members of young children and transition age youth available through collaboration between The New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities, The Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities, and Disability Rights New Jersey. The goal of this program is to prepare the next generation of disability advocates to work toward meaningful change in our state.

New Jersey’s program is one of twenty-eight Partners in Policymaking programs across the country. This year’s class of nine people with disabilities, fourteen family members, one sibling, and one interdisciplinary trainee, join more than 30,000 graduates to-date across the country ready to collaborate with policymakers to increase the inclusion, self-determination, and well-being of people with disabilities. Graduates were celebrated through empowering remarks by Mercedes Witowsky, Executive Director, and Paul Blaustein, Chair of the New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities along with Gwen Orlowski, JD, Executive Director of Disability Rights New Jersey. Deborah Spitalnik, PhD, Professor of Pediatrics and Family Medicine and Community Health and the founding Executive Director of The Boggs Center, Rutgers RWJMS, inspired the class with her motivating speech.

Presentations from each of the graduates highlighted details about their experiences with the program and advocacy throughout the year. They shared stories of learning and advocacy across the lifespan, addressing topics including inclusive education, navigating transitions to adulthood, post-secondary education, competitive integrated employment, healthcare, Medicaid, Supported Decision Making, and community inclusion. This powerful group will lead the way toward advocating for lasting change that will help people with disabilities realize their vision for life.

To learn more about this year’s graduates, their experiences over the past 8 months, and the impact of the Partners program, view the Graduation Panel Presentation recording.

Apply Now for the 2022-2023 New Jersey Partners in Policymaking Program

The next class of NJ Partners in Policymaking will begin in September 2022 and is open to people with disabilities over the age of 21 and family members of children and youth with disabilities. Participants are selected through a competitive application process open now until July 8th. Learn more and apply