The report, released Monday, painted a vivid picture of how New Jersey cares for its residents with developmental disabilities.
The report, titled “The Extreme Urgency of Now,” is packed with stories of institutional failure and personal tragedy faced by New Jerseyans who rely on state assistance.
Disability Ombudsman Paul Aronson has highlighted the urgent needs of the disability community every year and expressed frustration at the slow pace of progress on solving the issues.
“Every day we are faced with horrific scenes of children self-harming and adults suffering abuse and neglect. These are not isolated incidents but symptoms of systemic failures that require urgent and decisive action,” Aronson said.
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The 2023 report is full of stories of people struggling with developmental disabilities. A 19-year-old man in a group home accidentally took double the dose of his medication and was rushed to the emergency room. A parent discovered their son eating frozen raw meat in front of group home staff, who did not intervene. A 39-year-old man in a group home who tried to call 911 multiple times before dying also died.
The report includes several examples of “heartbreaking stories and horrifying photos,” including that of a 19-year-old group home resident who was allegedly abused and denied needed medication. Her mother was upset that the state found “unfounded negligence” after a year-long investigation, the report said.
“My child has been starved, locked in a room, locked in a basement, drugged and denied medication, lost all her hair and teeth, thrown into a psychiatric ward, restrained while unable to communicate despite complaints of excruciating pain from tooth decay and infected vulvar abscesses, developed rhabdomyolysis, was put in a ventilator-induced coma and was made illegally and unjustifiably homeless,” the mother said.
In his report, Aronson criticized the state’s investigative procedures for these cases as woefully inadequate, particularly noting that the investigations are “almost always” conducted by the very institutions that are the subject of the allegations.
“Failing to conduct a thorough and credible investigation will cripple the system and put at risk the lives of those at its heart.”
The report called for a complete overhaul of the system and suggested that investigations into abuse and neglect be carried out by an independent body. Further exacerbating the crisis is a chronic understaffed and undertrained care workforce.
Ombudsman’s Recommendation
Require home providers to spend on salaries for care staff to ensure competitive wages and reduce turnover
Establishing minimum staffing ratios in state-licensed housing
Introducing fines for institutions that do not meet care and safety standards
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Ombudsman reports dire situation for people with disabilities in New Jersey