Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 6, March 18, 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.
