Call Today & Save the Developmental Center

The Woodbridge Developmental Center may be the last thing that comes to mind when you think of home. For many severely disabled people and their families, though, it is as close to heaven as it gets.

The Center is now scheduled to be closed, because of a binding recommendation by a state task force to 'mainstream' the residence's patients into group homes. That move, many say, would cause a severe hardship on families and on the residents themselves.

State Senator Joseph Vitale has put forward legislation to the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens that would change the way the task force's recommendation is enacted.

The bill, S2596, is scheduled to be voted on by that committee on Monday, March 4. It has to pass the committee in order to reach the floor of the NJ Senate for a full vote.

Family members are encouraging those who want to save the Woodbridge Developmental Center to email or call the members of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens and ask them to vote for the senate bill.

Here's how to reach the state senators on the committee before the March 4 vote:

• Sen. Dawn Marie Addiego 609-654-1498senaddiego@njleg.org
• Sen. Diane Allen 609-239-2800senallen@njleg.org
• Sen. Barbara Buono 732-205-1372senbuono@njleg.org
• Sen. Robert Gordon 201-703-9779sengordon@njleg.org
• Sen. Fred Madden 823-232-6700 senmadden@njleg.org
• Sen. Ronald Rice 973-371-5665senrice@njleg.org
• Sen. Robert Singer 732-901-0702sensinger@njleg.org
• Sen. Samuel Thompson 732-607-7580senthompson@njleg.org
• Sen. Jim Whelan 609-383-1388senwhelan@njleg.org

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