We have two full days planned, with Wednesday, March 10 focusing on Human Services in Paterson and Thursday, March 11 focusing on Health Care in New Brunswick. The seminar Agenda, Overview, Case Studies and Team Assignments will be available on the LNJ web site for both the Human Services and Health Care portions of the seminar by Thursday, February 24.

These two days will be among the busiest of our seminar year, so we ask that you arrive promptly and help us keep to the ambitious schedule.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10

If you are plan on taking the bus from New Brunswick please arrive at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, 2 Albany Street promptly at 8:30 AM. The bus will leave at that time. There is a public parking facility attached to the hotel as well as several in the area. If you are meeting us in Paterson, please meet us at the Paterson Museum, 2 Market Street in Paterson. Parking is available in their parking lot.

The bus will take each team to the first of its two site visits. At each you will seek help from social service agencies to solve problems posed in your group's case study. Most of you (except Team 2, Child Protection) will be in the shoes of someone who is experiencing the type of problems that the social service system is supposed to help resolve. You will be on your own as far as getting to the other site visits.

Later that afternoon you all will engage in an activity that involves shopping for groceries on a food stamp budget; please review guidelines in the Living on Food Stamps readings in your packets.

The aim of Wednesday's exercise is for you to get a feel for what it is like to enter the human services safety net in a New Jersey city, and to evaluate the service you are provided. As ever, we are eager to hear the range of your reactions during the class discussions on both Wednesday and Thursday.

On Wednesday evening, there will be a discussion on living on food stamps at the Paterson Museum (you will walk there from the Food Stamp exercise) and then dinner across the street at the facilities of the NJ Community Development Corporation. A group of Paterson Youth Council members has been invited to join us for dinner so they may share their perceptions with you. After dinner, those heading back to New Brunswick will board the bus that will return to the Hyatt Regency Hotel in New Brunswick. Those who requested sleeping rooms will be able to check in when we return.

THURSDAY, MARCH 11

Speakers and a Health Care policy discussion will follow Thursday's breakfast. We will then walk to Elijah's Promise for lunch and divide into teams once again for site visits and an afternoon closing session in New Brunswick. Each team will have expert policy guests to help you focus on access disparities, care fragmentation and other issues-through the lens of prevention and crisis care of a specific condition: AIDS/HIV, childhood asthma, heart disease and prenatal/ neonatal care. After the closing session, we will walk to the parking facility at which we parked our cars.

HOTEL RESERVATIONS

Hotel reservations have been made for all those who requested. If your reservation needs have changed, please call the Hyatt Regency's front desk directly at: (732) 873-1234 and mention "Leadership New Jersey" to receive the group rate of $129/night + tax.

IMPORTANT

Some teams on Wednesday will be traveling on public transportation. Bring quarters or dollar bills for the $1 fare, and $5 for your share of the Food Stamp activity. Dress is business casual for the entire seminar. Some teams will be walking many blocks on both days; wear comfortable shoes and, if rain is predicted, bring an umbrella.

Go over your case studies carefully. They will give you the background you need for your visits in both Paterson and New Brunswick.

A NOTE ON PARKING IN NEW BRUNSWICK

Driving and parking in New Brunswick can be very hectic in the morning, especially with the construction on Route 18. Please allow yourself plenty of time, so you are not late for Commissioner Velez's address.

We recommend you park in either the Hyatt Regency's public garage or another public parking facility in New Brunswick. Please note, the Hyatt Regency's garage takes cash only. Overnight guests at the Hyatt will receive the overnight rate.