Law Allows for Civil Penalties for Serious Violations

June 25, 2026

(TRENTON) – New Jersey Human Services today announced that a new law enhancing protections for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and strengthening accountability among community-based service providers will take effect on July 1. The Department is authorized – for the first time – to impose civil penalties and fines for serious violations that threaten the health, safety, and well-being of those receiving services.

Among its provisions, P.L. 2025, c. 280 authorizes civil penalties for findings of abuse, neglect, exploitation, and administrative neglect resulting in harm, while directing collected penalties to the new, dedicated Residential Facility Quality of Care Improvement Fund that will support quality improvement initiatives, oversight activities, training, and other efforts to strengthen supports for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The law also helps reinforce expectations around reporting, investigations, corrective actions, and other safeguards designed to ensure individuals are protected, respected, and supported in safe environments.

"Every individual receiving services deserves to be protected, respected, and supported in a safe environment," Commissioner Stephen Cha said. "The health, safety, and well-being of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities must always come first. This law provides important tools to strengthen accountability, address serious violations, and help ensure providers meet the high standards expected of them while reinforcing our commitment to a service system that promotes dignity, respect, and quality supports and continuously improves."

"This law enhances the State’s authority to hold DDD providers accountable for the most serious and repeat violations of our existing health and safety requirements,” Deputy Commissioner for Aging and Disability Services Kaylee McGuire said. “It is one important component of our broader, comprehensive strategy to improve and sustain high‑quality services, combining strong consequences for violations with proven approaches that support continuous quality improvement."

The Department as of July 1 will be empowered to impose penalties on provider agencies for a range of serious violations, including operating required programs without proper licensure or certification, employing individuals who are prohibited from working with individuals with disabilities, failing to conduct required background checks, failing to adequately investigate allegations of abuse, neglect, or exploitation.

The law also authorizes the Department to impose a civil penalty against individuals who fail to report abuse, neglect, or exploitation as required.

Human Services will release implementation guidance this summer outlining how penalties authorized under the law will be applied. The guidance will provide a clear and consistent framework for enforcement while the Department undertakes the formal rulemaking process. Because the law takes effect July 1, providers are expected to comply with its requirements beginning on that date, and instances of noncompliance occurring on or after July 1 will be subject to penalties authorized under the law.

"This law is about both accountability and continuous improvement," Division of Developmental Disabilities Assistant Commissioner Jonathan Seifried said. "The Residential Facility Quality of Care Improvement Fund ensures that resources generated through enforcement actions are reinvested into strengthening oversight, supporting quality improvement initiatives, and helping prevent future incidents. Our goal is a system that consistently delivers safe, high-quality services for the people who depend on them."

Revenue collected through civil penalties established under the law will be deposited into the Residential Facility Quality of Care Improvement Fund and used by the Department to finance quality improvement initiatives and support administrative, licensing, and regulatory activities related to implementation of the law.

The new authorities build upon the Department's existing oversight framework, which includes licensing actions, admissions suspensions, corrective action requirements, and Quality Management Team assignments for providers with serious or recurring compliance concerns. Together, these tools help promote accountability, strengthen quality across the service system, and protect the health, safety, and well-being of individuals receiving services.

The law was signed in January after the Department worked cooperatively with the Legislature in 2024 to draft the bill.

This law is being implemented alongside the Disability Mortality and Abuse Prevention Advisory Committee, which was newly appointed in April.

"This new law and the Disability Mortality and Abuse Prevention Advisory Committee reflect our shared commitment to continuously strengthening protections for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities," Commissioner Cha said. "By combining stronger accountability with ongoing collaboration among individuals, families, advocates, experts, and providers, we are shaping a system that learns from experience, responds to challenges, and remains focused on ensuring every individual receives safe, high-quality supports with dignity and respect."