Senate to Hear Package of IDD Provider Reform Bills

Tomorrow, the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee (SHH) will be taking the first steps towards moving a package of bills, spearheaded by SHH Chairman Senator Joe Vitale, meant to safeguard individuals receiving developmental disability services and prevent abuse and neglect.

The following bills are on the SHH agenda for December 19, 2024:

• S3750: Enhances enforcement authority over developmental disability service providers; establishes “Residential Facility Quality of Care Improvement Fund” in DHS.
• S3752: Establishes certain governance and service standards for developmental disability service providers; appropriates $300,000.
• S3753: Requires DHS and DCF to employ Director of Medical Services; appropriates $480,000.
• S3754: Establishes “Disability Mortality and Abuse Prevention Advisory Committee” in DHS; makes appropriation.
• S3755: Establishes framework for appointment of receiver for provider of services to individuals with developmental disabilities.
• S3756: Mandates Division of Developmental Disabilities service providers to complete workforce survey.

While members of the public will be able to provide feedback on any of the bills they wish, only four of them will be voted on in committee (S3753, S3754, S3755, S3756). The other two (S3750 and S3752) will not be voted on in committee and are up for discussion only. Autism New Jersey provided the committee members with their comments on the bill package.

As the state with the third-highest rate of autism in the nation, New Jersey faces an unprecedented demand for providers skilled in meeting the complex needs of individuals with autism and related disabilities. This need is further amplified as more children transition out of the Children’s System of Care (CSOC), requiring specialized services for significant behavioral and medical challenges.

With the health and safety of individuals with autism at the forefront of our considerations, Autism New Jersey urges an approach that does not inadvertently stifle the number of qualified providers through regulations that impose prohibitive costs and/or restrict agencies’ operational flexibility.

Autism New Jersey will continue to provide updates on this package of bills if they move forward.