How To Report Abuse or Neglect

For medical emergencies, or if you believe someone is in immediate danger, call 911.

For Children:

In New Jersey, any person having reasonable cause to believe that a child has been subjected to abuse or acts of abuse should immediately report this information to the State Central Registry (SCR). If the child is in immediate danger, call 911 as well as:

1-877 NJ ABUSE (1-877-652-2873).

A concerned caller does not need proof to report an allegation of child abuse and can make the report anonymously.

https://www.nj.gov/dcf/reporting/hotline/

For Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities:

Any person, including a guardian or family member, who suspects abuse, neglect and/or exploitation of an adult with an intellectual or developmental disability can call the NJ Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) hotline 24 hours a day, 365 days a year:

DDD Abuse Hotline: 1-800-832-9173 (then press 1)

https://www.nj.gov/humanservices/ddd/individuals/consumer/reportsuspectedabuse/

For individuals in Community Mental Health Programs: 

How can I report a treatment agency that is not serving the best interests of our clients?

If you suspect that an agency is not delivering services in a professional manner you can contact the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services at (609) 292-7232 OR DMHAS Toll-Free Hotline

1-800-382-6717

The Division investigates complaints regarding program deficits, client safety, and patient rights. All information reported is anonymous.

You can find a list of county Mental Health Administrators here:

https://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/dmhas/home/admin/index.html

For Boarding Home Complaints

(609) 633-6251

https://www.nj211.org/filing-boarding-home-complaint

For individuals in State Psychiatric Hospitals: 

The Patient Services Compliance Unit (PSCU) accepts reports of suspected patient abuse or professional misconduct at any of the four psychiatric hospitals operated by the NJ Department of Health. Call toll-free and leave a message 24 hours a day, seven days a week: 

(888) 490-8413 

https://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/dmhas/resources/services/treatment/mh_pscu.html

For individuals in nursing homes, assisted living, and other long-term care facilities, including residential health care facilities:

Contact the State of New Jersey Department of Health. 

You can call the complaint hotline available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: 1-800-792-9770. You can also submit a complaint online here: https://www.state.nj.us/health/healthfacilities/file_complaint.shtml 

You can contact the New Jersey Office of Ombudsman for the Institutionalized Elderly: 

The New Jersey Office of Ombudsman for the Institutionalized Elderly (OOIE) is dedicated to protecting the rights of residents age 60 and older who live in nursing home or other long-term care facilities in New Jersey. You can report abuse by phone: 

1-877-582-6995, email: [email protected], or online: https://www.state.nj.us/ooie/contact/contact-complaint.shtml 

Office of the Inspector General: Report Fraud, Waste, or Abuse Form

You can use this online form to report allegations of fraud, waste, and abuse concerning SSA programs and operations. Our office also addresses allegations of criminal activity and serious misconduct involving Social Security employees. Moreover, we have jurisdiction to investigate allegations of work and assets concealment, representative payee misuse and trafficking of Social Security numbers and cards.

https://secure.ssa.gov/pfrf/home

Telephone operating hours are 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays.

1-800-269-0271

TTY Communications 1-866-501-2101

OTHER RESOURCES: 

Adult Protective Services: 

APS may become involved in situations that meet all of these conditions: 

• Age 18 years or older, AND 
• Residing in the community, AND 
• Due to physical or mental illness, disability or deficiency, lacks sufficient understanding or capacity to make, communicate, or carry out decisions concerning his or her well-being, AND 
• Is the subject of abuse, neglect, or exploitation 

https://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/doas/documents/APS%20flyer.pdf

For all the following complaints: 

• Complaints about public health risks at a business or facility in New Jersey 
• A New Jersey health care facility 
• A physician practicing in New Jersey 
• A nurse practicing in New Jersey 
• A health or safety hazard at a workplace 

Please visit: https://www.nj.gov/health/guide/file-a-complaint/