If you or someone you care for uses self-directed services in New Jersey, there’s a helpful update you should know about. A new company is stepping in to assist with managing certain parts of your services—like billing and paperwork.
Don’t worry, this doesn’t change the support you receive or how your services work. It’s simply a new partner helping manage the administrative side of things.
Your Support Coordinator will be there to guide you through any steps, so you’re never on your own. Let’s walk through what this update means, and how it will keep your services on track.
What’s Changing?
Right now, there are two main ways people can manage their self-directed support services in NJ:
- Agency with Choice (AwC) – This uses Easterseals to help manage services.
- Vendor Fiscal/Employer Agent (VF/EA) – This has been run by a company called Public Partnerships since 2017.
For more information on the similarities and differences between these two models, you can find that here.
Every five years, the state picks a new company to run the VF/EA model, or they may choose to stay with the current one. This year, a different company called Acumen Fiscal Agent was chosen—and they’re starting to take over now.
- If you use the VF/EA model, Acumen will now be the company that helps handle payments and paperwork for your supports or providers (also called vendors or self-directed employees).
What Stays the Same?
- If you use Easterseals (AwC) — nothing is changing.
- If you’re in the Personal Preference Program (PPP)— you’ll still use Public Partnerships.
- If you get Personal Care Assistance (PCA) or Personal Assistance Service Program (PASP)— no change for you either.
- This only affects people using the F/EA model with Public Partnerships for self-directed services.
Who’s Affected First?
Right now, Acumen is starting with people who only have vendor services in their plans. Later, they’ll help people who also hire self-directed employees (like someone you picked yourself to help at home or in the community).
What Should You Do?
- Stay in touch with your Support Coordinator (SC)—they can help explain what to do and when.
- Attend an Acumen training—this can help you stay up to date on what you need to do during this change.
- Connect with your providers/vendors—they will need to complete their own paperwork and enrollment during this change as well.
- If you get a letter or email from Acumen, don’t ignore it—ask your SC to help you go through it.
- Things are still changing, and updates are coming out often, so checking in with your SC is the best way to stay on track.
What This Really Means
This is just a small change in the company that helps handle billing and paperwork behind the scenes. You’ll still get the same support and services. Your SC is ready to help with any steps, and more updates will come as things move forward.
If you still need to enroll with Acumen, they can be reached at (833) 892-0413 or through their Contact Me Form.