Search a researched South Jersey directory of shelter, food, group homes, disability rights, Medicare and patient advocacy, transportation, and complaint help. Filter by county, town, or need, then open the full guide for eligibility and next steps.
Need shelter or food today?Call 211 or text your ZIP code to 898-211. Call 911 for immediate danger.
Statewide · Statewide · Disability & independent living
NJ Division of Disability Services information & referral
A strong first call when you know the problem but not which disability program or county office owns it. Certified resource specialists help connect the pieces.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
Disability-program navigation
Personal assistance, benefits, transportation, equipment, housing, and caregiver referrals
Connections to TBI Fund, PASP, NJ ABLE, WorkAbility, and long-term services
Best first step
Call 1-888-285-3036 and explain the functional barrier, county, age, and whether the need is urgent. Ask for the names of programs discussed and the next office to call.
Have ready
Insurance information, benefit letters, diagnoses only if relevant, and a short list of what daily activity is difficult or unsafe.
Hours / timing
State lists phone coverage Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Statewide · Statewide · Personal care & home support
Personal Assistance Services Program (PASP)
A consumer-directed personal-assistance option intended to support work, school, job preparation, or regular volunteering in the community.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
Up to 40 hours a week of routine, non-medical personal assistance
Consumer direction over the assistance plan
Help with daily tasks tied to community participation
Who it may fit
Generally for New Jersey adults 18 or older with a permanent physical disability who can self-direct services and are working, preparing for work, in school, or volunteering regularly.
Best first step
Open the county coordinator list on the official page and request a PASP application and screening.
Have ready
Proof of New Jersey residence, daily task needs, work/school/volunteer schedule, disability documentation, and current insurance or Medicaid information.
Statewide · Statewide · Personal care & home support
Managed Long Term Services and Supports (MLTSS)
NJ FamilyCare’s pathway for people who meet financial and clinical standards for ongoing help at home, in assisted living, community residential settings, or a nursing facility.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
Care management and personal assistance
Home and vehicle modifications
Delivered meals, respite, and personal emergency response systems
Assisted-living, community residential, and nursing-facility services
Who it may fit
Requires both financial eligibility and a clinical assessment showing a nursing-facility level of care. Medicare alone does not provide this program.
Best first step
If you already have NJ FamilyCare, call the number on the health-plan card and ask for an MLTSS screening. Otherwise contact the county aging/disability office or NJ FamilyCare.
Have ready
A list of hands-on help needed with bathing, dressing, eating, mobility, medications, supervision, and recent falls or hospital stays.
Statewide · Statewide · Work & disability benefits
NJ WorkAbility
A full Medicaid coverage option for working people with disabilities whose earnings or assets could otherwise put ordinary Medicaid out of reach.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
Full NJ FamilyCare/Medicaid coverage for eligible workers with disabilities
A path to work while keeping important health coverage
Application and premium guidance when applicable
Who it may fit
The applicant must meet disability, employment, residency, citizenship/immigration, and program financial rules. Current rules belong on the official page because limits can change.
Best first step
Review the current WorkAbility application route, then ask DDS or NJ FamilyCare which income documents are required for your work arrangement.
Have ready
Pay stubs or self-employment records, disability proof, insurance information, household details, and recent tax information.
Statewide · Statewide · Work & disability benefits
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (DVRS)
State vocational-rehabilitation help for a physical, mental-health, learning, cognitive, sensory, or other disability that creates a substantial barrier to getting or keeping work.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
Vocational counseling and employment planning
Job search, placement, training, and supported-employment connections
Reasonable-accommodation and assistive-technology evaluation when tied to the employment plan
Who it may fit
You may refer yourself. DVRS decides eligibility and which services are necessary for an agreed employment goal.
Best first step
Use the county office list or call the statewide line and ask to begin an intake. Request communication access or another accommodation when scheduling.
Have ready
Work history, resume if you have one, disability records you already possess, benefit information, transportation barriers, and the kind of work you want—not only what you cannot do.
Statewide · Statewide · Disability rights & advocacy
Client Assistance Program / Disability Rights NJ
Free, confidential advocacy when a person has a dispute, delay, communication barrier, or rights concern involving DVRS, CBVI, or a Center for Independent Living.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
Explaining appeal and due-process rights
Informal advocacy and negotiation
Help with service delays, denials, or communication/access problems
Best first step
Contact CAP before an appeal deadline expires. State the program, decision date, what you requested, and the outcome you want.
Have ready
Decision letters, emails, case number, service plan, names and dates of conversations, and any deadline shown on the notice.
Important
An appeal deadline can run even while you are asking the agency to reconsider informally.
A last-resort funding program for specific brain-injury services and supports when insurance or another public program will not cover the need.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
Cognitive rehabilitation and therapies
Companion or personal-care support and household management
Assistive technology plus home or vehicle modifications
Who it may fit
State guidance includes documented TBI, New Jersey residence for at least 90 days, and liquid assets below the program limit; other coverage must generally be pursued first.
Best first step
Use the official application link and ask the case manager whether the proposed service fits before paying out of pocket.
Have ready
TBI documentation, estimates, denial or coverage letters from insurance/Medicaid, financial documents, and the functional goal for the requested item or service.
One application that screens many older adults and disabled people with limited income for prescription help, Medicare-cost help, and other savings programs.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
PAAD and Senior Gold prescription assistance screening
Medicare Savings Program screening
Lifeline utility-assistance screening and related benefits
Who it may fit
Age, disability, New Jersey residence, income, and program rules vary. Use current official limits rather than an old flyer.
Best first step
Apply through NJSave or call for help completing the application.
Have ready
Social Security and pension letters, recent income, Medicare and insurance cards, spouse information where applicable, and utility details.
Free civil legal assistance for financially eligible South Jersey residents in selected matters; availability and case priorities depend on the office and issue.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
Housing, public benefits, family, consumer, and other civil-law screening
Advice, brief service, or representation when accepted
Reasonable accommodations for legal intake
Who it may fit
Income, assets, residence, case type, deadlines, conflicts, and available staff all affect acceptance.
Best first step
Call the intake line on a weekday and say immediately if there is a court date, eviction lockout, utility shutoff, benefit cutoff, or other deadline.
Have ready
Every notice, lease or contract, court paper, timeline, opposing party’s name, proof of income, and a safe way to contact you.
Hours / timing
The organization lists weekday intake from 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m.; confirm holiday closures.
Important
Calling does not automatically create an attorney-client relationship. Keep meeting every deadline unless a lawyer tells you otherwise.
A state starting point for device demonstrations, borrowing, reuse, financing, workplace technology, hearing/telephone equipment, and vision-related technology.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
Device demonstrations and short-term loans through partner programs
Equipment reuse and financing leads
Connections to employment, hearing/telephone, and vision technology programs
Best first step
Describe the task you need to do and where—home, work, school, transit, or communication—before choosing a device.
Have ready
Measurements, photographs of the space when appropriate, current devices, communication preferences, insurance, and whether the need is temporary or long term.
Important
Try equipment in the real setting when possible. A product being marketed as accessible does not prove it fits your body, space, or communication needs.
Atlantic · Galloway · Disability & independent living
Atlantic Center for Independent Living
A disability-led, community-based starting point for practical independent-living help and local navigation—not a nursing facility or residential program.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
Information and referrals chosen around the disabled person’s own goals
Peer counseling and independent-living skills
Individual and systems advocacy
Connections to transportation, equipment, housing, personal assistance, and community supports
Who it may fit
People with disabilities, family members, and caregivers can ask for information. Individual programs may have additional rules.
Best first step
Call and describe the barrier—not only the program name. Ask for an independent-living specialist and whether the first conversation can be by phone, video, or in person.
Have ready
Your county, preferred contact method, accessibility needs for the appointment, and one or two concrete goals such as getting a ramp, finding attendant care, or learning transit.
Burlington · Burlington · Disability & independent living
Resources for Independent Living — Burlington
A disability-led, community-based starting point for practical independent-living help and local navigation—not a nursing facility or residential program.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
Information and referrals chosen around the disabled person’s own goals
Peer counseling and independent-living skills
Individual and systems advocacy
Connections to transportation, equipment, housing, personal assistance, and community supports
Who it may fit
People with disabilities, family members, and caregivers can ask for information. Individual programs may have additional rules.
Best first step
Call and describe the barrier—not only the program name. Ask for an independent-living specialist and whether the first conversation can be by phone, video, or in person.
Have ready
Your county, preferred contact method, accessibility needs for the appointment, and one or two concrete goals such as getting a ramp, finding attendant care, or learning transit.
Camden · Westville · Disability & independent living
Center for Independent Living of South Jersey
A disability-led, community-based starting point for practical independent-living help and local navigation—not a nursing facility or residential program.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
Information and referrals chosen around the disabled person’s own goals
Peer counseling and independent-living skills
Individual and systems advocacy
Connections to transportation, equipment, housing, personal assistance, and community supports
Who it may fit
People with disabilities, family members, and caregivers can ask for information. Individual programs may have additional rules.
Best first step
Call and describe the barrier—not only the program name. Ask for an independent-living specialist and whether the first conversation can be by phone, video, or in person.
Have ready
Your county, preferred contact method, accessibility needs for the appointment, and one or two concrete goals such as getting a ramp, finding attendant care, or learning transit.
Cape May · Countywide · Disability & independent living
Resources for Independent Living — Cape May service area
A disability-led, community-based starting point for practical independent-living help and local navigation—not a nursing facility or residential program.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
Information and referrals chosen around the disabled person’s own goals
Peer counseling and independent-living skills
Individual and systems advocacy
Connections to transportation, equipment, housing, personal assistance, and community supports
Who it may fit
People with disabilities, family members, and caregivers can ask for information. Individual programs may have additional rules.
Best first step
Call and describe the barrier—not only the program name. Ask for an independent-living specialist and whether the first conversation can be by phone, video, or in person.
Have ready
Your county, preferred contact method, accessibility needs for the appointment, and one or two concrete goals such as getting a ramp, finding attendant care, or learning transit.
Cumberland · Vineland · Disability & independent living
Resources for Independent Living — Vineland
A disability-led, community-based starting point for practical independent-living help and local navigation—not a nursing facility or residential program.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
Information and referrals chosen around the disabled person’s own goals
Peer counseling and independent-living skills
Individual and systems advocacy
Connections to transportation, equipment, housing, personal assistance, and community supports
Who it may fit
People with disabilities, family members, and caregivers can ask for information. Individual programs may have additional rules.
Best first step
Call and describe the barrier—not only the program name. Ask for an independent-living specialist and whether the first conversation can be by phone, video, or in person.
Have ready
Your county, preferred contact method, accessibility needs for the appointment, and one or two concrete goals such as getting a ramp, finding attendant care, or learning transit.
Gloucester · Westville · Disability & independent living
Center for Independent Living of South Jersey
A disability-led, community-based starting point for practical independent-living help and local navigation—not a nursing facility or residential program.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
Information and referrals chosen around the disabled person’s own goals
Peer counseling and independent-living skills
Individual and systems advocacy
Connections to transportation, equipment, housing, personal assistance, and community supports
Who it may fit
People with disabilities, family members, and caregivers can ask for information. Individual programs may have additional rules.
Best first step
Call and describe the barrier—not only the program name. Ask for an independent-living specialist and whether the first conversation can be by phone, video, or in person.
Have ready
Your county, preferred contact method, accessibility needs for the appointment, and one or two concrete goals such as getting a ramp, finding attendant care, or learning transit.
Ocean · Toms River · Disability & independent living
MOCEANS Center for Independent Living
A disability-led, community-based starting point for practical independent-living help and local navigation—not a nursing facility or residential program.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
Information and referrals chosen around the disabled person’s own goals
Peer counseling and independent-living skills
Individual and systems advocacy
Connections to transportation, equipment, housing, personal assistance, and community supports
Who it may fit
People with disabilities, family members, and caregivers can ask for information. Individual programs may have additional rules.
Best first step
Call and describe the barrier—not only the program name. Ask for an independent-living specialist and whether the first conversation can be by phone, video, or in person.
Have ready
Your county, preferred contact method, accessibility needs for the appointment, and one or two concrete goals such as getting a ramp, finding attendant care, or learning transit.
Salem · Pennsville · Disability & independent living
Resources for Independent Living — Salem
A disability-led, community-based starting point for practical independent-living help and local navigation—not a nursing facility or residential program.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
Information and referrals chosen around the disabled person’s own goals
Peer counseling and independent-living skills
Individual and systems advocacy
Connections to transportation, equipment, housing, personal assistance, and community supports
Who it may fit
People with disabilities, family members, and caregivers can ask for information. Individual programs may have additional rules.
Best first step
Call and describe the barrier—not only the program name. Ask for an independent-living specialist and whether the first conversation can be by phone, video, or in person.
Have ready
Your county, preferred contact method, accessibility needs for the appointment, and one or two concrete goals such as getting a ramp, finding attendant care, or learning transit.
The county aging and disability doorway for benefits counseling, in-home supports, caregiver help, nutrition, and transportation navigation.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
Aging and Disability Resource Connection options counseling
Benefits and Medicare SHIP counseling
In-home service, caregiver, meal, and transportation referrals
Best first step
Call and request an options-counseling conversation. Say whether the person can safely remain alone and whether a caregiver is near burnout.
Have ready
Age, town, insurance, income/asset information only if requested, daily-care needs, caregiver schedule, and discharge paperwork after a hospitalization.
Cape May · Cape May Court House · Seniors & caregivers
Cape May County Aging & Disability Resource Connection
County options counseling for older adults, adults with disabilities, and caregivers trying to compare home support, meals, benefits, transportation, and long-term-care choices.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
Options counseling and benefits navigation
Caregiver, nutrition, wellness, and home-support referrals
Long-term-services and transportation connections
Best first step
Ask for the ADRC and describe the immediate safety issue plus the longer-term goal.
Have ready
Daily-care needs, falls or hospitalizations, medications, insurance, caregiver availability, housing barriers, and preferred language or communication accommodation.
County demand-response and route transportation serving seniors, disabled riders, veterans, low-income residents, and other riders under current eligibility and scheduling rules.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
Advance-reservation trips for eligible riders
County routes and connections described in the current rider materials
Transport with ADA mobility aids and portable oxygen under county policy
Best first step
Call the current number on the official page, complete any rider registration, and ask how far ahead to reserve each trip type.
Have ready
Pickup and destination addresses, appointment and return times, mobility device dimensions, need for a personal-care attendant, and whether oxygen or another aid travels with you.
Important
Trips are generally shared and first-come. Confirm the return ride and pickup window rather than assuming an appointment time guarantees availability.
County shelter, motel, prevention, and housing-navigation doorway, including Emergency Assistance connections.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
Coordinated shelter and housing referrals
Emergency Assistance and benefit connections
Placement and navigation through partner agencies
Best first step
Call 211 or the county number. The county also lists the VOADV Navigation Center at 856-671-6101.
Have ready
Household names and ages, current location, disability or medical accommodation needs, income/benefit information, eviction or discharge papers, and a safe callback number.
Statewide · Statewide · Group homes & supportive housing
NJ DDD iRecord provider search
The live official search for Division of Developmental Disabilities providers by service, county, ZIP code, language, and support needs.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
Current DDD provider search
Filters for residential and community services
County, language, and acuity filters
Who it may fit
Adult DDD services generally require functional eligibility, New Jersey residency, Medicaid eligibility, and an authorized service plan. A listing is not a guarantee of an opening.
Best first step
Ask the DDD support coordinator which residential service is authorized, then filter iRecord by that service and county.
Important
For privacy and safety, many group-home street addresses are not published. Confirm licensure, authorization, accessibility, staffing, and vacancies directly.
Statewide · Statewide · Group homes & supportive housing
PerformCare out-of-home provider list
Current statewide directory of youth out-of-home treatment providers, organized by program type, age, gender, and county.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
Youth group-home and treatment-home directory
Program age and gender ranges
County and provider contacts
Who it may fit
Placement is through New Jersey's Children's System of Care after clinical assessment and authorization; families do not simply self-place from the list.
Best first step
Call PerformCare to request screening or ask the current care manager about out-of-home treatment criteria.
Statewide · Statewide · Disability rights & advocacy
NJ Long-Term Care Ombudsman
Independent advocacy for residents of nursing homes and other long-term-care settings, including complaints about rights, care, discharge, and quality of life.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
Confidential resident advocacy
Complaint investigation and problem solving
Resident-rights education
Who it may fit
Residents of covered long-term-care settings and people contacting the office on their behalf.
Best first step
Open the official page or call before traveling. Ask about current availability, eligibility, hours, and accessibility.
Statewide · United States · Patient advocacy & Medicare
Project Medical Reform Association
A patient-led medical-reform project serving New Jersey and the United States, with education, advocacy projects, and petitions for health-system change.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
Patient-rights and medical-reform education
Public advocacy projects
Medical-reform petitions
Best first step
Read the active projects and petitions, then use the organization's contact information for participation or collaboration.
Important
Advocacy information is not a substitute for emergency care, individualized medical advice, or a lawyer handling a filing deadline.
Virtual patient advocates who help organize care, questions, appointments, and health-system navigation; the company states that it works with Medicare and many Medicare Advantage plans.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
Care coordination and appointment preparation
Medical-record and treatment navigation
Support communicating with clinicians and insurers
Who it may fit
Coverage is not automatic for every person or plan. Solace must verify eligibility, participating coverage, and any referral or cost-sharing rules.
Best first step
Open the official page or call before traveling. Ask about current availability, eligibility, hours, and accessibility.
Important
Ask for written confirmation of coverage and expected cost before beginning. Medicare deductibles, coinsurance, plan rules, and clinical eligibility may apply.
Virtual health advocacy for eligible Original Medicare patients with serious health or social-navigation needs.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
Care navigation and appointment support
Insurance and benefit coordination
Help organizing complex medical care
Who it may fit
The company describes Original Medicare eligibility tied to qualifying health or social needs and a supervising provider. Eligibility must be verified.
Best first step
Open the official page or call before traveling. Ask about current availability, eligibility, hours, and accessibility.
Important
Confirm provider involvement, Medicare eligibility, cost sharing, and any noncovered services before enrollment.
The main New Jersey route to complain about a licensed hospital, nursing home, home-health agency, or other healthcare facility; anonymous complaints are accepted.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
Facility-care and safety complaints
Anonymous 24/7 complaint hotline
Online complaint intake
Best first step
Write a short timeline with facility, unit, dates, what happened, who was notified, and the requested remedy. Submit online or call 800-792-9770.
Have ready
Facility name, dates, department, patient name if disclosing it, records or photos you lawfully possess, witnesses, and the facility's response.
Important
For immediate danger call 911. A complaint does not replace a medical malpractice limitation deadline or a Medicare appeal deadline.
Statewide · United States · Hospital complaints & appeals
Report an EMTALA emergency-room violation
Federal complaint route when a hospital emergency department may have refused an appropriate screening, stabilizing treatment, or safe transfer because of insurance or ability to pay.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
Emergency screening-right complaints
Stabilization and transfer complaints
Federal CMS review pathway
Best first step
Record the hospital, arrival time, symptoms, what staff said or did, whether a screening occurred, and what happened after leaving.
Statewide · United States · Hospital complaints & appeals
HIPAA and healthcare discrimination complaints
Federal HHS Office for Civil Rights complaints involving health-information privacy, disability/language access, or discrimination by covered healthcare programs.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
HIPAA privacy complaints
Disability and language-access complaints
Federal healthcare civil-rights complaints
Best first step
Open the official page or call before traveling. Ask about current availability, eligibility, hours, and accessibility.
Important
Federal filing deadlines apply. Save the submission confirmation and every attachment.
MTM manages transportation for selected health plans and publishes a New Jersey UnitedHealthcare mileage-reimbursement form.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
Mileage reimbursement for eligible plan trips
Transportation management where contracted by a health plan
Trip-log guidance
Who it may fit
Availability depends on the exact UnitedHealthcare Medicaid/MLTSS or other plan benefit. MTM is not the statewide broker for every NJ FamilyCare member.
Best first step
Call the transportation number on the UnitedHealthcare member card or ask the MLTSS care manager whether MTM is the assigned benefit manager before scheduling or driving.
Important
Get the trip approved before travel and follow the plan's trip-log rules; reimbursement is not automatic.
Statewide · Online · Community groups & mutual aid
South Jersey Homeless — community help group
A South Jersey Facebook group run by a local community organizer for peer support, outreach information, donations, and connections for people experiencing homelessness.
View services, eligibility & how to start+What they can help with
Community-posted needs and offers
Local outreach and donation information
Peer-to-peer South Jersey connections
Best first step
Review the group rules before posting. Protect private information and arrange exchanges in a public, safe place.
Important
This is community mutual aid, not coordinated entry, a licensed shelter, or emergency service. Call 211 for formal placement and 911 for immediate danger.