Group home operators serving people with autism and other developmental disabilities would face fines for the first time in state history for abuse and neglect, under landmark legislation Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law on Sunday.
New Jersey’s top appointed disability advocate has described abuse and neglect in state licensed group homes as “rampant,” with some providers “doing all they can to prevent abuse and neglect” and others “not doing enough to prevent or stop” it.
The law, S3750, which takes effect in six months, imposes $10,000 fines for the second and subsequent health and safety violations. It also creates the offense of “administrative neglect,” should operators fail to train staff and supervise them to ensure the safety of their residents.
Sen. Joseph Vitale, D-Middlesex, sponsored this bill and others after NJ Advance Media published “Alone, Autistic and Afraid” in February 2024, which investigated the severe medical neglect verified by hospital physicians of a young woman at a group home in Lakewood, The Special Children’s Center.
“Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities deserve to feel safe, respected, and supported in every setting, without exception. These measures give the state clearer authority and stronger tools to demand accountability and uphold high standards of care,” Murphy said in a statement after privately signing the legislation Sunday.
Yana Mermel, whose daughter was the focus of NJ Advance Media’s investigation, described the law as “a real win for victims, their families, and group home residents across our state.”
Mermel said the group home denied her nonverbal daughter with autism routine dental care and adequate food, and locked her in her bedroom at night. While undergoing surgery to remove her rotted teeth, she suffered complications and was placed in a coma.
The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office investigated but did not file charges, while state Human Services investigators determined Mermel’s daughter had been harmed but did not find enough evidence to substantiate abuse or neglect claims against the group home.
The group home has repeatedly denied comment on the case, which is the subject of a lawsuit.
“My daughter suffered life-altering harm at the hands of uncaring and unqualified practitioners,” Mermel said. “This legislation is the first of many that will change the group home industry for the better.”
Murphy also signed two related bills:
S3754: which creates the Disability Mortality and Abuse Prevention Advisory Committee within the state department of Human Services. The committee, comprised of medical professionals, disability advocates, people with disabilities and families, will “analyze trends, evaluate systemic responses to allegations, and recommend improvements,” according to the legislation.
S3751: which revises the legal definition of child abuse or neglect to include people up to age 21 years in institutions overseen by the Department of Children and Families. Under the old law, both Human Services and Children and Families had oversight, which created confusion. The law also gives this department authority to impose fines, including a $350-a-day fine on anyone who failed to report abuse to the state.
Together, the package of bills “ensures that safety, dignity, and quality of care remain at the center of our system,” said Vitale, chairman of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee.
The bill fining group homes was introduced in October 2024 but stalled when some provider companies raised objections. Had a compromise not been reached by Jan. 8, the bills would have expired and needed to restart the public hearing process in the new session that began Jan. 14.
Several organizations representing the group home industry praised the outcome.
“Ending abuse, neglect, and exploitation of individuals with I/DD and responding effectively and with dignity when it occurs are our ethical obligations and central to our public policy,” said Catherine Chin, executive director for the Alliance for the Betterment of Citizens with Disabilities, a lobbying group. “It is for this reason we are very pleased by the passage of these bills and thank the administration and legislature for their efforts in this regard.”
Paul Aronsohn, the state’s top appointed advocate for people with developmental disabilities, was the first to call on lawmakers to give the state Department of Human Services the authority to impose fines on poor-performing group homes. He noted that the state Health Department has the authority to fine poorly run nursing homes; why did people with developmental disabilities deserve any less?
“This law is a big, first step towards ending abuse and neglect in group homes,” said Aronsohn, Ombudsman for Individuals with Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities and Their Families, who called abuse “rampant” in his latest annual report.
“The next step must include a complete overhaul of the investigation process – one that places a premium on efficiency, transparency, and accountability by placing this critical responsibility in the hands of an independent government agency,” Aronsohn said.
A bill introduced by Assemblyman Alex Sauickie, R-Ocean in 2025 would replicate the New York State Justice Center in New Jersey and assume control of most abuse investigations, which are now handled by the Department of Human Services and the Department of Children and Families.
Advocates say the existing system poses a conflict of interest because group home providers are allowed to initially investigate themselves, then submit their findings to the state agency that licenses and inspects them. In too few instances has the state corroborated abuse and neglect, they’ve said.
The state investigation into medical neglect allegations found Mermel’s daughter, Rachel, was harmed but did not substantiate abuse or neglect claims against the group home. Mermel said she has no confidence in the state to do objective investigations.
During a Jan. 8 legislative hearing, Mermel held up a collage of photos she said graphically depicts her daughter’s suffering.
“I want to make sure that everybody in this room sees this type of abuse that happens in state licensed facilities. I also want to make sure that everybody understands that unlike any of us in this room, individuals with disabilities are not afforded the same rights,” Mermel said.
Donna Icovino, a parent-advocate who has helped lead the charge for replicating the justice center in New Jersey, said she hoped the momentum created by these new laws will continue under the new governor.
“Advocates like myself are optimistic that state government will finally ‘seize the day’ to improve the lives of people who are depending on N.J. to make effective systems change a reality,” said Icovino, the mother of a son living in a group home in Camden County.
