Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 18, September 16, 2024
(a) Every shelter facility director, staff member,
shelter home coordinator, and shelter home parent shall:
1. Be at least 18 years of age;
2. Be of good character and reputation;
3. Respect and understand children and be
sensitive to and capable of meeting their needs;
4. Have a capacity to work and confer with
professionals, consultants, parents and community groups;
5. Make a full disclosure of his or her
background, experience, previous work, schooling, and arrests and criminal
convictions, if any;
6. Secure a
Criminal History Record Information background check, as specified in
N.J.A.C.
3A:53-3.8, and a Child Abuse Record Information
background check, as specified in
N.J.A.C.
3A:53-3.9; and
7. Be in satisfactory physical, mental, and
emotional health to perform his or her job duties satisfactorily.
(b) The following actions by a shelter
facility director, staff member, shelter home coordinator or shelter home parent
shall constitute grounds for possible suspension or termination from the job:
1. Failure to comply with the requirements stated
in (a) above;
2. Failure to fulfill the
responsibilities and duties of his or her position; and
3. A determination by the Department that the
individual poses a risk of harm to children.
(c) Whenever the Department makes a determination
that a facility director, staff member, shelter home coordinator, shelter home
parent, or shelter home household member poses a risk of harm to children, the
shelter facility or shelter home shall carry out the Department's recommendation for
corrective action. Such corrective action may include, but not be limited to:
1. Removal or suspension of the affected
individual from employment at the shelter facility or shelter home or reassignment
to other duties that do not involve contact with the children; or
2. When the individual resides at the shelter
home, removal of the affected individual from the premises.
(d) If an allegation of child abuse or neglect is
substantiated against an individual working or residing at the shelter facility or
shelter home, the shelter facility or shelter home shall immediately terminate the
individual's employment at the shelter facility or shelter home. If the individual
is a facility director, shelter home coordinator, shelter home parent, or shelter
home household member, the Office shall deny, suspend, revoke, or refuse to renew
the certificate of approval, as applicable.
1. The
shelter facility or shelter home may appeal the denial, suspension, revocation, or
refusal to renew, as specified in
N.J.A.C.
3A:53-1.6.
2. The shelter home parent may choose to remove
the household member against whom child abuse or neglect is substantiated from the
shelter home before the action against the certificate takes effect.
(e) Every shelter facility shall have:
1. An administrator who shall be responsible for
the actual operation and management of the shelter facility. She or he shall also
designate staff to be in charge at all times during his or her absence;
2. A social service worker, who shall be
responsible for developing and implementing the shelter facilities' social service
program;
3. Licensed medical, licensed
dental and psychological personnel on either a staff or consultation basis,
including community providers, who shall be responsible for insuring that the
medical, dental and psychological needs of the children are met;
4. Child care workers who shall be responsible for
providing daily care and supervision of the children. Child care workers shall not
be guards and shall be oriented and trained to work with children in a non-coercive
manner;
5. A staff member designated to
direct and be responsible for providing food services. If the staff member is not a
registered dietician, the shelter shall arrange to receive consultation from a
registered dietician, who shall approve the menus; and
6. Staff who shall be responsible for conducting
everyday housekeeping and maintenance functions.
(f) A shelter facility may utilize volunteers
and/or college students provided that the following requirements are met:
1. Volunteers and/or college students shall be
aware of and have input into the service plan for children they are working with
directly and be briefed fully on any special needs or problems they might encounter
in working with these children on a continuing basis;
2. A volunteer and/or college student may serve in
a staff position provided that he or she:
i. Meets
the qualification for the position;
ii.
Signs a statement agreeing to meet and perform the specific duties and
responsibilities of the position;
iii.
Has the time necessary to serve in the position on a regular basis; and
3. Completes a Criminal History Record
Information background check and a Child Abuse Record Information background check,
as specified in N.J.A.C. 3A:53-3.1(a)6.
