New Concepts for Living CEO Steve Setteducati Receives 2024 Ann Klein Advocate Award

New Concepts for Living (NCFL) CEO Steve Setteducati has been honored with the 2024 Ann Klein Advocate Award by the Community Health Law Project (CHLP) for outstanding contributions made in improving the lives of people living with disabilities. This annual award was presented at CHLP’s Annual Gala on Oct. 24.

“I am truly honored to receive this award from the Community Health Law Project,” said Steve Setteducati, CEO of NCFL. “This recognition is a testament to our commitment to providing quality services and opportunities to enhance the lives of adults living with I/DD. It’s also a testament to the dedication and hard work of our caring and committed staff.”

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The CHLP Ann Klein Award was established in 1988 to honor individuals for their outstanding contributions to improving the lives of people with disabilities. Ann Klein was a former Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Health and Human Services who was instrumental in establishing a community-based system of care for people with mental health and physical disabilities. The award recognizes Setteducati – and NCFL – as a prominent disability rights leader and comprehensive service provider for adults living with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).

“We are honored to present Steve Setteducati with the Ann Klein Advocate Award for his and New Concepts for Living’s exceptional work caring for the adult I/DD community,” said Erika Kerber, Esq., CHLP President and Executive Director. “Individuals with disabilities need more public servants like Setteducati who are committed to humanity and serving those most vulnerable.”

Since becoming CEO in 2016, Setteducati has spearheaded the expansion of NCFL’s residences, day program, and therapeutical and behavioral services to meet the high demand for adult I/DD services in New Jersey. Under his leadership, NCFL has become New Jersey’s premier provider of services by creating high-quality programs that foster a supportive, nurturing environment for special needs adults — promoting independence, social interaction, and a strong sense of community.

Prior to becoming CEO, Setteducati served on NCFL’s Board of Trustees. He is also a former mayor of Emerson, N.J., where during his tenure, he was the architect of a plan that led the town to becoming the first municipality in the state to use special needs housing to meet affordable housing requirements. This formula for meeting a town’s low-income housing obligation has become commonplace throughout N.J., providing a much-needed increase in available living options for adults with I/DD.

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In June 2024, Setteducati oversaw the opening of NCFL’s new, state-of-the-art Achievement Center , offering three distinct day programs — high-need, low-need, and medically fragile — to best meet individual participants’ needs. The modernized space includes dedicated spaces for recreation, sensory rooms, health and wellness screenings, therapeutic services, and life skills training. NCFL serves individuals living with a variety of intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism, cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, brain injury, fetal alcohol syndrome, and rarer conditions such as Williams, Prader-Willi, and Rett syndrome.

NCFL currently operates an 81,500-square-foot Achievement Center in Paramus and 18 community residences in northern New Jersey with plans to open six additional homes in the next 12 months. The organization serves more than 100 individuals living with I/DD and is actively working with the New Jersey Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) to increase enrollment in its day program to help accommodate the long waiting list for services and meet the needs of the community.

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