» Research on the Closure of State-Operated Institutions

Background on Closure of North Princeton Developmental Center

In 1995, the State of New Jersey's Commissioner of Human Services announced that the North Princeton Developmental Center would close in 1997.  At the time of the announcement, the state assured families concerned about the movement of their relatives into community residences that the closure would be evaluated in a rigorous manner.  The New Jersey Division of Developmental Disabilities funded the Developmental Disabilities Planning Institute to design and execute a research study that would follow-up a random sample of former residents at 3, 9, 15, and 27 months after they left the facility.  The study would assess any changes in consumer competencies, behaviors, quality of life, and satisfaction with their new living arrangements.  These changes are contrasted against those found in a comparison group of persons still residing in state institutions.  The following are progress reports have been published to date:

Life After North Princeton Developmental Center: Final Outcomes (Executive Summary, 5 pages - available for download in PDF format by clicking on title link)

Dawn Hall Apgar, Paul Lerman, Tameeka Jordan
November 2003

This final report compares community versus institutional living in the following areas:  mortality rates; consumer competencies; relationships with family and peers and health services utilization.  In addition, quality of life is examined from the perspectives of family members, consumers, and staff.

To request copies of the full report of Life After North Princeton Developmental Center: Final Outcomes (206 pages), contact the DD Planning Institute.

 

A Year Later: Life After North Princeton Developmental Center (Executive Summary, 4 pages – available for download in PDF format by clicking on title link)

Dawn Hall Apgar, Paul Lerman, Tameeka Jordan
January 2001

This third progress report details analyses aimed at examining the benefits of community versus institutional living based upon data collected 15 months after persons with developmental disabilities left a state-operated institution due to its closure.

To request copies of the full report of A Year Later (133 pages), contact the DD Planning Institute.

 

Moving On:  Life After North Princeton Developmental Center (Executive Summary, 16 pages- available for download in PDF format by clicking on title link.)

Dawn Hall Apgar, Paul Lerman, Tameeka Jordan

February 2000

This second progress report examines the impacts of deinstitutionalization 9 months after persons with developmental disabilities left a state-operated institution due to its closure.

To request copies of the full report of Moving On (98 pages), contact the DD Planning Institute.

 

Closing Old Doors-Opening New Ones: An Evaluation of North Princeton Developmental Center Closure (Executive Summary, 18 pages - available for download in PDF format by clicking on title link.)

Dawn Hall Apgar, Paul Lerman, Sharon Cook
March 1999

This first progress report examines the impacts of deinstitutionalization 3 months after persons with developmental disabilities left a state-operated institution due to its closure.

To request copies of the full report of Closing Old Doors-Opening New Ones (164 pages), contact the DD Planning Institute.

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