In 2026, New Jersey established the Disability Mortality and Abuse Prevention Advisory Committee (the Committee) through a new state law. The Committee will review select cases involving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) who experienced abuse, neglect, or exploitation, as well as certain cases involving the deaths of adults with intellectual disabilities.

The Committee’s work is focused on learning from these cases and identifying ways that New Jersey can strengthen prevention efforts and improve responses to abuse, neglect, exploitation, and mortality.

The Committee reflects a broad and inclusive membership, including individuals with lived experience, medical professionals, advocates, family members, and representatives from state agencies. However, the Committee recognizes that this issue impacts many more New Jersey residents.

The Committee will host a virtual listening session on November 12, 2026, at 3 PM, to gather input that will help inform its work. The listening session is intended for individuals with IDD, their families and guardians, advocates, and disability service providers who wish to share their perspectives with the Committee.

Individuals interested in providing public testimony must register online in advance.

For those who prefer not to provide oral testimony but still wish to share comments, written submissions may be sent via email to Jack.Teters@dhs.nj.gov by 6 PM on November 12.

This listening session is intended only for individuals who wish to provide oral testimony directly to the Committee. The session is not a public forum for general observation, and, out of respect for speakers and the sensitive nature of the issues discussed, only those who register to offer comments will receive a link to participate.

The Committee welcomes input on topics such as:

• Types of cases the Committee should consider reviewing
• Aspects of current investigatory or response processes that warrant examination
• Practices the Committee should adopt to ensure case reviews are thorough, trauma‑informed, and meaningful

Please note:

• This listening session is not a forum to request the review of specific individual cases.
• This listening session will not be publicly livestreamed but will be recorded so the Committee can review all spoken testimony. 
• There is a 3-minute time limit per speaker.