This bill establishes a three-year pilot program aimed at providing NJ FamilyCare benefits to children with special needs who live in their family homes but would otherwise be ineligible due to their parents' income and assets. It defines a "child with special needs" as a child under 21 who meets the federal criteria for being blind or disabled under the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. The Department of Human Services (DHS) is tasked with annually redetermining whether these children continue to meet the SSI definition. If a child is found no longer eligible, their NJ FamilyCare benefits will be terminated, but an appeals process will be established for families affected by such terminations.

Additionally, the DHS Commissioner is required to report to the Governor and the Legislature within 180 days after the pilot program concludes. This report will detail the number of children who gained eligibility for NJ FamilyCare benefits, the total costs incurred by the state for these benefits, the administrative costs of the pilot program, and recommendations on whether to make the program permanent. The bill aims to alleviate the financial burden on middle-income families caring for children with special needs, who often struggle to afford necessary services due to income restrictions.