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About Us

Who We Are

Approved by the New Jersey Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD), Independent Caring Realities was founded by the parent of an individual with a disability, driven by a deep, personal commitment to empowerment and inclusion. We offer personalized one‑to‑one support as well as enriching community‑based group activities—helping each person we serve build skills, confidence, and meaningful connections.
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Our Mission

We are committed to delivering high‑quality, compassionate services for New Jersey adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, empowering them so they can lead fulfilling, independent lives.
Executive Director
Stephen Codignotto has been caring for individuals with disabilities for over 30 years. Having raised two disabled children, he has devoted a significant part of his life to understanding not only what families face but also what individuals themselves must endure living with disabilities. Stephen has traveled throughout the state of New Jersey to visit schools and programs for both children and adults with disabilities and has had the opportunity to see the best and the worst. He experienced firsthand the struggles that society has in providing appropriate education for children and a proper life for those who need continuous care. Stephen has had the pleasure of meeting and collaborating with the top educators in the state, many of whom have pioneered the appropriate services for individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD). Stephen has had the opportunity to work side by side with the leading professionals in their fields, who established behavioral modification standards for individuals with Autism and related disabilities. He volunteered much of his time advocating and assisting families from the early days of their education in public school, through their transition into adult life, including navigating New Jersey Department of Developmental Disabilities services. After many years of looking at this industry from the outside, Stephen decided in 2020 to address it from the inside and applied to become a New Jersey DDD Medicaid provider. In 2021, he opened his agency, Independent Caring Realities (ICR). Over the past few years, he has completed over ten certifications in the areas of providing services for adults with disabilities. His agency, ICR, is a premium provider of individual and behavioral support, whose mission is to develop life, social, and prevocational skills for adults with disabilities. ICR’s model is recognized as unparalleled in the industry. Stephen's current mission is to continually grow ICR and set standards that are followed by other IDD service providers, providing the best quality of life and enhancing independence for all.
Stephen CodignottoFounder and Executive Director