April 20.2018
the staff of the Ridgewood bllog
Ridgewood NJ, Gov. Phil Murphy today announced the appointment of former Ridgewood Mayor and ethically challenged Paul Aronsohn to head up the newly created Office of the Ombudsman for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities and Their Families, serving as the administration’s lead advocate and ally for New Jersey residents in need of critical services ranging from early childhood through adulthood.
Arosohn’s tenure as mayor was marred by ethics scandals, acrimony from the dais, insane over development of the central business district, suicide bike lanes , dangerous ,over budget and ill-advised ramps at Graydon Pool ,bad Village business decisions and fermenting a hostile environment, impinging on the quality of life in the Village of Ridgewood. Many residents consider his tenure an all time low in the history of the Village of Ridgewood.
The Office of the Ombudsman, which is in, but not of, the Department of the Treasury, was created by law in January, granting the governor appointment authority.
As the ombudsman, Aronsohn will organize and direct the work of the office with duties that include:
Serving as a source of information for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their families and interested members of the public, to help them better understand state and federal laws and regulations;
Coordinating with the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, to provide information and support on navigating and understanding the process for obtaining services from the state Division of Children’s System of Care and the Division of Developmental Disabilities, including information on transitioning between the two programs;
Providing information and communication strategies to individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their families for resolving disagreements with various state agencies, as well as education on the available options for resolving such disputes;
Working with service recipients, families and the departments to facilitate the provision of services and supports;
Identifying common concerns for individuals and their families, and making recommendations to the Division of Children’s System of Care and the Division of Developmental Disabilities or the Department of Children and Families and the Department of Human Services; and
To assist the Division of Children’s System of Care and the Division of Developmental Disabilities in creating public information programs designed to inform individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities, their families, and the public about the role of the ombudsman.
Under law, the ombudsman is also required to issue a written report annually to the commissioners of both the Department of Human Services and the Department of Children and Families, as well as the governor and the legislature.
