New Jersey P.L. 2021, c.292 is a state law that requires the Department of Human Services to develop a public emergency response plan for licensed service providers caring for individuals with developmental disabilities. Approved on November 8, 2021, the statute establishes protocols to protect vulnerable individuals during declared public emergencies.

The NJ Department of Human Services developed the Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan.pdf (EPRP) in consultation with the NJ Department of Health, Ombudsman for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities and Their Families, Licensed Service Providers (LSPs), and the State Office of Emergency Management. 

The EPRP:

1. Establishes guidelines and best practices for the general and specific operations, activities, and procedures that are to be undertaken or implemented by LSPs during a public emergency.
2. To the extent feasible, identifies the means, methods, and channels through which licensed service providers may obtain personal protective equipment (PPE) and other equipment or services that are critical to the maintenance of ongoing operations during the course of a public emergency.
3. Addresses various possible public emergency scenarios and provides for the application of differing standards and best practices for each, as appropriate, while highlighting the standards, best practices, and resource sourcing methods that are applicable for the purposes of any currently declared public emergency.
4. Is consistent with, and incorporates, any relevant guidance that is published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and any other federal agencies that are involved in the remediation of public emergencies.