mathews supports

Welcome to mathews supports

At Mathews Supports, we believe people deserve the opportunity to build a life based on their own goals, interests, and choices. Our role is to provide the support, guidance, and resources that help make those goals possible.

We provide Supports Brokerage, Individual Supports, and Community Based Supports to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities throughout New Jersey. Every person we support is different, so we take the time to understand what is important to them and build supports around their individual needs, preferences, and vision for the future.

Our culture is rooted in A Culture of Gentleness. This philosophy reminds us that relationships come first. Before we can help someone achieve their goals, we need to build trust. We believe people are more likely to grow when they feel safe, valued, loved, loving, and engaged. Rather than asking, "How do we change this person's behavior?" we ask, "What is this person communicating, and how can we better support them?" That shift in thinking changes the way we interact, solve problems, and build relationships.

We also use the Charting the LifeCourse framework to help people think beyond services and focus on building a good life. While paid supports are important, they are only one part of a person's life. Family, friends, neighbors, community groups, technology, employment, education, and personal strengths all play a role. We work with people to identify these supports and create plans that promote independence, connection, and long-term success.

Our team also incorporates the principles of Ukeru into our daily practice. Ukeru is a trauma-informed approach that teaches us to reduce fear, build trust, and respond to behavior with understanding rather than control. It is best known for its use of soft, supportive blocking pads, which allow staff to safely redirect aggression without causing pain or using restrictive interventions. However, the pads are simply a tool. The heart of Ukeru is creating environments where people feel safe, respected, and understood, helping to reduce the need for physical intervention while preserving each person's dignity and strengthening relationships.

Our team brings decades of combined experience in Supports Brokerage, self-direction, direct support, housing, behavior support, and person-centered planning. Many of us have worked together for years, sharing the same values and commitment to supporting people and their families. For some of us, this work is also deeply personal. We are family members of people with disabilities, giving us firsthand experience navigating the systems, challenges, and successes that many of the people we support experience every day. Those personal and professional experiences shape the way we listen, advocate, and partner with the people and families we support.

Everything we do is guided by one simple belief: support should be built around the person, not the system. We are committed to listening first, building strong relationships, and helping people create lives that are meaningful to them.

Thank you for taking the time to learn about Mathews Supports. We look forward to partnering with you as we continue our mission of empowering people to choose their support, their home, and their path.