Biography
My name is Zekarias Kidane. I am the founder of Gemmer Group Home. I have two adult children diagnosed with Autism. My two children are in group home licensed by DDD since 2008. I had little knowledge about the group home before my children began living in the group home. The only thing I knew was DDD. I started to learn about group home guidelines and procedures from the staff, the management and in IDT meetings.
Everything changed when I met, a friend, a mother of an individual with disability and a support coordinator in September 2019. My friend is very knowledgeable, and she saw me struggling. She gave me valuable information that most of the public is unaware of concerning their loved ones in residential and community base settings. It is with the knowledge the friend gave me, I went to DDD, and I expressed that I want to open up my own group home. DDD sent me information, instruction and requirements that I must meet in order to start my own organization. This information was found in the CCP manual and 10:44 A. I will put the links at the end of the page.
The large companies, the middle size companies and small companies have a role to support our disabled individuals and inform our employees, parents and guardians to become a provider. Together everybody shall eliminate shortage of providers and waiting list to find a group homes for their loved ones who have disabilities. Our individual with disability will be served best when there are many providers and no waiting list to find a group home. Hopefully you came to this website because you have stake in individuals with disability. I recommend you read and share the publicly available information below.
Community Care Program Policy Manual
https://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/ddd/documents/community-care-program-policy-manual.pdf
Standards For Community Residences For Individuals With Developmental Disabilities
https://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/ool/documents/10_44A_eff_4_18_05.pdf