How to Report Elder Abuse in New Jersey

• Dan T. Matrafajlo
• Fri Jul 2021
• Elder Abuse,
• 0

Unfortunately, nursing home abuse is more prevalent than most people think. Many nursing home residents fall victim to neglect and abuse each year – despite the fact that federal and state laws exist to help protect them from abuse and neglect. One effective way to help stop this terrible pandemic involving our elderly loved ones is to pay attention and report instances of suspected abuse and neglect.

If you suspect your elderly loved one or yourself is a victim of elder abuse or neglect, it is imperative to immediately report the abuse and hire an experienced New Jersey elder abuse attorney to protect your rights.

Reporting Abuse in New Jersey

In New Jersey, you can report complaints about:

• Nursing homes
• Assisted living
• Medical daycare
• Comprehensive personal care homes
• Long-term care facilities
• Hospitals
• Ambulatory surgical centers
• Home health agencies
• Other ambulatory or long-term care facilities

If you believe you or an elderly loved one is in immediate danger, you should immediately call 911. If you have reason to suspect misconduct involving a nursing home concerning or during the COVID-19 outbreak, you can report the complaint by clicking on the following government website: https://covid19.nj.gov/forms/ltc.

Reporting Suspected Elder Abuse or Neglect

If you believe that you or an elderly loved one is not immediate danger, you can report your suspicions to various state agencies. It should be noted that state investigations can take some time and you may not be able to control whether the state decides to take meaningful action. As such, you should also consider transferring your loved one to another facility.

–  File a Complaint Against the Facility:

You can also file a complaint against the nursing home, by contacting the State of New Jersey Department of Health. You can:

• file an online complaint https://web.doh.state.nj.us/fc/search.aspx
• call the NJ complaint hotline 1-800-792-9770 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
• fax or mail the State’s Consumer Resident/Patient Complaint Report Form (AAS-60) (https://healthapps.state.nj.us/forms/index.aspx#aas-60 )

If you choose to report by fax, you can make the report anonymously or disclose your info. The state asks that you please include the following information:

If you choose to mail the completed Consumer Resident/Patient Complaint Report Form (AAS-60 – link above), send it to the following address:

New Jersey Department of Health
Division of Health Facility Survey and Field Operations
PO Box 367
Trenton, NJ 08625-0367

Further information is available through the NJ Dept of Health website: https://www.nj.gov/health/healthcarequality/patients-families/file-complaint-how-to/

Medicare also provides a reporting mechanism available through the following link: https://www.medicare.gov/nursinghomecompare/Nursing_Home_Complaint_Form.pdf

–  File a Complaint Against a Medical Staff Member:

Nurses: You can file you complaint in any of the following ways to the New Jersey Board of Nursing.

• By phone (973-504-6457) or
• By downloading the board’s complaint form (https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/ComplaintsForms/New-Jersey-Board-of-Nursing-Complaint-Form.pdf)  and mailing it to:

New Jersey Board of Nursing

PO Box 45010

Newark, NJ 07101

• Physicians: You can file a complaint to the Board of Medical Examiners. Your complaint can be made 
  • By phone (609-826-7100) 
  • Through the board’s online reporting system:  https://nj.gov/lps/ca2/bme/complaintform/complaints.htm  
  • By downloading and mailing the form available through this link (https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/ComplaintsForms/State-Board-of-Medical-Examiners-Complaint-Form.pdf) to:

Division of Consumer Affairs

State Board of Medical Examiners

P.O. Box 183

Trenton, NJ 08625

–  Contact the New Jersey Office Adult Protective Services:

The Adult Protective Services Agency (APS) is available to investigate allegations of suspected abuse, neglect and/or exploitation involving anyone aged 18 or older. Contact is made on a county-by-county basis. Specific contact information can be accessed here: https://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/doas/home/adultpsp.html

For more information on the New Jersey APS, see its website: https://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/doas/services/aps/

You can report abuse by:

Phone: 1-877-582-6995;
Mail: The Office of the Ombudsman, P.O. Box 852, Trenton, NJ 08625-0852

Call a New Jersey Elder Abuse Attorney Today!

The legal team at Beninato & Matrafajlo Attorneys at Law, LLC is dedicated to helping our injured clients reach the best monetary settlement when they are involved in any type of accidents.

If you suspect a loved one has become the victim of elder abuse, you need an experienced and caring legal advocate on your side. Our experienced New Jersey elder abuse attorneys are available to personally review your case. Call us at 908-355-7100 to schedule a free, complimentary consultation with our legal team today.