Coastal Conversations
For families of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, one of the biggest questions is: “What happens after school?” The transition to adulthood can feel overwhelming, with decisions about work, housing, education and long-term planning. As the founder of Adult Independent Services, Debra Freed helps families navigate that process and supports individuals in building more independent, fulfilling lives.
Based in Linwood, Adult Independent Services offers personalized advocacy, education and planning for families across New Jersey. In this Coastal Conversation, Debra shares why early planning matters, the challenges families often face, and the opportunities available to help individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities thrive.
AS: What inspired you to establish Adult Independent Services, and what gap did you see that needed to be filled for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families?
DF: My inspiration came from our oldest daughter that was born with a chromosomal abnormality called a 3Q27 Deletion. She is 1 of 11 in the world that has this deletion. She is intellectually disabled and medically fragile. She always had resources in school; the real challenges came after she graduated. It is very overwhelming and challenging going from an 8-hour day in school to having nothing. The path to adult state and federal funded services is an extremely long process and sometimes feels impossible to travel down. This is why Adult Independent Services was created so we can help parents and caretakers of individuals with developmental/intellectual disabilities prepare for the transition from student to adult life.
AS: Many parents feel overwhelmed when their child approaches adulthood and ages out of the school system. What are some of the biggest challenges families face during this transition, and how can they prepare?
DF: It is very overwhelming, the best time to start preparing is when their loved one is still in school. The biggest challenge we face as parents is not knowing where to start preparing because oftentimes we do not know what we are preparing for. The most fearful questions we ask ourselves are: “What is going to happen to my child when they graduate school?” and “What is going to happen to my child when I die?” This is why parents need to start preparing early by saving all of their child’s medical documentation from when they were first diagnosed as well keeping a file for all their school’s documentation. This is also a challenge because we don’t know what we should be keeping or that we need this documentation one day. Sometimes it’s extremely difficult trying to collect this paperwork after many years have passed and all this paperwork will be needed to apply for adult state and federal funded services when the individual turns 18.
AS: Every individual has unique strengths and goals. How do you help families create a personalized plan that encourages independence while meeting each person’s specific needs?
DF: By working with families. Every individual’s disability affects them differently. Their levels of resources needed vary. While working with families we can personalize a plan for their adult child. New Jersey has so many services to support our loved ones so no matter what type of disability the individual has they may be eligible for whatever they need to be able to have independence and to be able to live their best life.
AS: Employment, housing, education and social opportunities all play important roles in adult life. What exciting programs or resources are available today that many families may not know about?
DF: I do work with families with individuals with disabilities of all ages. The amazing thing is that there are so many opportunities for our loved ones through the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, which is through the Department of Labor, which can teach them vocational skills and maybe able to offer them a job coach as well other skills. And the Department of Developmental Disabilities, once deemed eligible, also has so many opportunities for individuals to be able to have independence and to be part of their community. There are day programs, classes, gym memberships, employment opportunities, classes, housing and transportation. Here is how we have utilized her services. She has a supervised apartment with 24-hour care, a job and job coach, horseback riding therapy, music therapy, art classes, gym membership, cooking classes, Uber and Lyft, a day program and a companion. She feels independent, she feels valued and she is living her best life.
AS: How has the conversation around inclusion and opportunities for individuals with disabilities changed since you began your career, and what progress would you still like to see?
DF: I would love to see more housing opportunities for individuals. There are thousands on the waitlist. I would love to see that number go down.
AS: Looking ahead, what is your vision for Adult Independent Services, and what message would you like to leave with families and our readers about building a future filled with independence, opportunity and possibility?
DF: I hope to be part of every school one day so we can start working with families when their child is still in school. It’s extremely important to start planning early for the transition from student to adult. The process is long and can be very overwhelming, if we can start preparing early we can hope to have their adult resources in place so by the time the child ages out or graduates they can seamlessly transition into adult life.
Debra Freed reminds us that independence looks different for everyone, and with the right support, every individual can reach their potential. Many thanks to Debra, for sharing her knowledge, passion and dedication to helping families build brighter futures.
Coastal Conversations highlights people in our community who are making a meaningful impact. If you know someone who would be a great fit for a future column, please contact me at ShoreCoastalConversations@gmail.com.
From the shore to your door, let’s keep the conversation going.
