For Immediate Release:
November 2025

Going ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ ... 5,000 Times and Counting

Celebrating a Milestone in Helping People Leave Institutions Behind

I Choose ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ NJ, the state's version of the federal Money Follows the Person (MFP) program, achieved a significant milestone recently, marking its 5,000th time helping a person leave an institution and move back to their community.

The program is built on a straightforward premise: Take people in costly institutional settings, such as developmental centers or nursing homes, and enable them to thrive in the community by providing connections to home- and community-based services (HCBS). This saves money that the state can then reinvest in additional HCBS.

Since its inception in July 2008, the program has generated more than $48 million in savings.

On average, I Choose ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ NJ has placed more than one person in the community every day for the past five years. The program is on track to help move 480 people home in 2025.

But the quantity of placements tells only part of the story. Quality of life is the most important measure, and the people who leave institutions are generally happier in their new homes. An I Choose ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ NJ participant named Beverly said: "I'm looking forward to so many things. I've got a life now. It's better than the one I had before."

I Choose ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ NJ is also widely recognized as a quality program. A 2024 report to Congress highlighted several best practices from ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ, including its unique administrative structure fueled by a partnership between the state Department of Human Services (DHS) and ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ's Long-Term Care Ombudsman (LTCO).

"Reaching 5,000 transitions is more than a number — it's 5,000 lives changed for the better. I Choose ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ NJ enables individuals to not only live successfully where they feel most at home, but to actively participate in lives of their family and friends and contribute to their communities," said DHS Commissioner Sarah Adelman. "I Choose ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ NJ embodies our commitment to dignity, independence, and person-centered care. Funding for this program comes from Money Follows the Person which remains essential to helping people build fuller, more connected lives."

Laurie Facciarossa Brewer, ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ's Long-Term Care Ombudsman, said I Choose ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ NJ has provided a crucial resource for an advocate-led movement to reverse ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ's traditional overreliance on nursing homes.

"Many nursing homes in ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ are too big," Brewer said. "They're laid out like hospitals. They're often understaffed. Most people would not choose to live in a nursing home, and many of them don't need that level of care. I Choose ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ NJ gives people in institutions a path to a better life and helps to expand home- and community-based services for everyone."

I Choose ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ NJ can assist current nursing home residents who are eligible for Medicaid and have lived in the nursing home for 60 days or more.

People who are interested can call 1-855-HOME 005 or visit ichoosehome.nj.gov to learn more about the program.

I Choose ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ NJ staff then work with those individuals to assess their preference for community living and help overcome any barriers to the transition.

I Choose ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ NJ participants typically receive services such as transportation or a personal care assistant to help with bathing, dressing, meal preparation, and household duties. Other possible benefits include physical therapy, home modifications, or durable medical equipment, including shower chairs and hospital beds.

These services are provided by managed care organizations through the state's Medicaid Long-Term Services and Supports program.

I Choose ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ NJ goes a step further by supporting the development of affordable housing in a state known for its high cost of living and elevated home prices and rents.

³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ's MFP Housing Partnership Program — a collaboration between DHS' Division of Aging Services and the ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Housing and Mortgage Financial Agency — is a first-of-its-kind program that uses savings generated by I Choose ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ NJ to build accessible, one-bedroom apartments for people moving out of nursing homes.

The program has funded 80 apartments; about 60 are already constructed and occupied. Several states have replicated ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ's housing model.

It is crucial, Brewer said, to protect funding for HCBS and I Choose ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ NJ despite federal Medicaid cuts that will cost ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ more than $3 billion a year for the next decade.

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