IN AN EFFORT to gauge the evolving needs of the community, the Ocean County Office for Individuals with Disabilities is encouraging participation in a survey to gather additional insight on the daily challenges experienced by people with disabilities.

"With the results, we hope to prioritize areas for improvement as well as to identify our strengths," said Ocean County Commissioner Frank Sadeghi, liaison to the Office for Individuals with Disabilities. "By conducting a survey, we believe we will receive honest responses to concerns our residents may have."

The Ocean County Office for Individuals with Disabilities is a unit within the Ocean County Department of Human Services. It is dedicated to supporting individuals with disabilities as well as offering assistance to caregivers and loved ones. By providing services like networking, data collection, advocacy, and community awareness, the office aims to facilitate full and equal participation in all aspects of life.

The division also offers information and referral services to the community, producing both an annual Disability Resource Guide and an annual Accessible Beach Guide.

Sadeghi said the survey is the first comprehensive disability survey of its kind distributed to County residents by the Office for Individuals with Disabilities.

The results that are gathered will be compiled into a comprehensive report and made available to the public through the Ocean County Department of Human Services website at https://www.co.ocean.nj.us/oc/ocdhs/frmofid.aspx and its newsletters.

"This report will serve as a resource for our community partners for guiding planning efforts to address accessibility and service needs throughout Ocean County," Sadeghi said.

The survey, which takes about 10 minutes to complete can be found at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/disability2024 and will remain available until Saturday, June 15th.

"The survey is completely anonymous and confidential and will certainly guide the efforts in improving accessibility, services, and support systems throughout Ocean County," Sadeghi said. "I respectfully request our residents consider sharing this survey with others who may find it helpful. The greater the outreach, the better the County can foster a more inclusive environment where everyone, regardless of their ability, can thrive."

"In our continuing effort to create a more supportive community, we value the feedback of the public," said Director of the Ocean County Board of Commissioners Barbara "Bobbi" Jo Crea. "Your voice matters to us. Together, we can build a community that embraces and supports all its members."

Based on its outcome, the Office for Individuals with Disabilities may conduct the survey every few years to continue to measure the changing needs of the community.