Historical Timeline of PASP

1983     Bill Ditto, Supervisor of Handicapped Services at the Monmouth County Board of Social Services and John Del Colle, Associate Director of the Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association meet with New Jersey Senator Richard Van Wagner to discuss the possibility of a state funded personal assistant program.

1984     Legislation introduced to create the “Personal Attendant Demonstration Program” (PADP) in the Department of Human Services.  Governor Thomas Kean subsequently signs the legislation into law. 

1985     Bill Ditto is hired by the Department of Human Services to implement the PADP as a pilot in ten counties:  Atlantic, Bergen, Cumberland, Essex, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, Passaic and Union.

1987     Governor Thomas Kean signs A-4322 and S-3329 into law, creating the “Personal Attendant Services Act” and thus making the program both statewide and permanent.

1987–88     The PASP is established in all twenty-one counties and the program is moved from the central office of the Department of Human Services to the Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS) for ongoing administration.

1990     DYFS undertakes a review of the PASP program as a result of consumer concerns.

1993     PASP legislation is amended and signed by Governor Jim Florio to include a Consumer Bill of Rights and to change the composition of the PASP Advisory Council and changes the name to the Personal Assistance Services Program.

1997     Governor Christine Whitman establishes the State Office on Disability Services and moves the PASP program from DYFS to the new office.

1999     Legislation is passed which elevates the State Office to the Division of Disability Services.

2005     20^th Anniversary Celebration of the Personal Assistance Services Program is celebrated.

2005/2006     Cash Model Legislative Panel is established to revise PASP statue and program regulations to reflect a cash model service delivery system.

2007     PASP receives an additional $3.5 million dollars in State Appropriation funding for the 2008 Fiscal Year. 

2008     The first issue of “Faces 2008 … Living the Dream” is released to the public - containing consumer profiles, program information and statistics.

2009     November 20, 2009 Governor Corzine signs PASP bill into legislation. 

2010     Recognition of the 25^th Anniversary of the Personal Assistance Services Program (PASP).

Bill Ditto, Founder of the Personal Assistance Services Program and Director of the Division of Disability Services, retires.               

2011     The regulations outlining PASP as a Cash Model program are posted in the public registry on October 3rd for a 60 day comment period.

2012   April 16, 2012 the new PASP regulations are adopted. Counites have been designated for transition in May or August 2012.