A study found slightly less than half of more than 4,000 8-year-olds in Essex, Hudson, Ocean, and Union counties received proper services, but that's far fewer than really needed them especially when they are federally mandated.
Chief Peter Cooke, using his autism training, recalled that autistic people can sometimes be drawn to bodies of water, and upon searching a nearby stream, found the child there.
Only 6% of adults with known intellectual or developmental disabilities are accessing residential support in New Jersey at this time, which advocates say is not acceptable for a state with such broad resources.