State of New Jersey
Department Of The Public Advocate
240 West State St.
P.O. Box 851
Trenton, NJ 08625-0851
Phone: (609) 826-5090 Fax: (609) 984-4747
JON S. CORZINE RONALD K. CHEN Governor Public Advocate
For Immediate Release: For Further Information Contact:
September 14, 2006 Steven Walker 609-826-5090
The following is a statement by Public Advocate Ronald K. Chen concerning
Bancroft Neurohealth facilities:
The safety and welfare of individuals with developmental disabilities is a top priority for the Department of the Public Advocate and in the first months of the Department's operation we have devoted significant attention to these issues. We also have worked closely with the Office of the Child Advocate in recent months to collaborate in efforts concerning Bancroft Neurohealth facilities.
On June 30, 2005, in order to address supervision and other issues of concern that were identified as a result of the Child Advocate's investigation into Bancroft, the Office of the Child Advocate entered into a settlement agreement with Bancroft. The settlement agreement covered a broad range of operational areas including: staffing levels; reporting and investigations of incidents involving allegations of abuse and neglect; supervision of psychological and behavioral services and coordination of medical care. To ensure the implementation of the settlement agreement, the agreement also provided for the appointment of an independent expert to provide ongoing review of Bancroft's practices over a six month period.
That monitoring period ended in May and Independent Expert Steven Eidelman has not yet provided his final report. The Office of the Child Advocate has been in regular communication with him concerning the drafting of his report, and we expect his final report very soon.
We also have collaborated with the Office of the Child Advocate to look into the July incident involving an alleged sexual assault of a 17-year-old resident by another resident. We have requested documents from all relevant sources concerning the ongoing investigations. Upon review of those investigation materials, we will work with the Office of the Child Advocate to determine what action would then appropriate on our part. During this process, it remains critical that both the victim and the suspect in this alleged assault receive appropriate and necessary treatment and services.
In addition, over the next several months we will be evaluating the state's current system of reporting and monitoring of incidents of abuse and neglect of all facilities that provide services for individuals with developmental disabilities to determine whether there are system-wide concerns that require action.
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