New Jersey

Facilities in New Jersey

Residential facilities providing religious, behavioral, and mental health treatment to children exist in all 50 states. Some of these facilities are known to be part of the Troubled Teen Industry, while others have not yet been verified. Any facility where children live and receive care requires additional oversight. This directory helps communities monitor local programs and advocate for accountability.

Reporting abuse in New Jersey

Two things New Jersey states plainly. Every report of abuse or neglect in an institutional setting - and it names residential treatment centres specifically - must go to the State Central Registry, and an investigator has to start within 24 hours. And a complaint form sent to a professional board is a government record: the board may be obliged to hand it to anyone who asks for it once the investigation is over.

Time limits in New Jersey: a general guide

This was correct as far as we could tell when we checked it on 28 September 2026. Laws on time limits change often, sometimes every legislative session, so some of what follows may have been updated since. It is a starting point, not legal advice: please check with a lawyer before relying on any date here. A time limit on a lawsuit or a criminal charge is also not a time limit on telling someone, and most of the places listed below will still take a report.

Time limits for abuse of a child often run from the survivor's 18th birthday, or from when they came to understand what happened, rather than from the day the program closed. Many states have lengthened them, removed them for child sexual abuse, or reopened claims that had already expired. A criminal charge, a lawsuit and a licence complaint each have their own time limit, so one having passed does not necessarily mean the others have.

Lawsuits

Physical abuse or injury: Two years for personal injury, which covers assault, battery and negligence alike. N.J. Stat. Ann. 2A:14-2(a)
If it happened before you turned 18: Yes. If you were under 18 when you were hurt, the two years do not start until you turn 18, so the deadline is usually your 20th birthday. There is no general extended deadline for physical (non-sexual) child abuse. N.J. Stat. Ann. 2A:14-21
If the program was run by or for the government: Against the state, a county, a town or another public entity, you must file a notice of claim within 90 days (a judge may allow late notice up to one year for extraordinary circumstances) and sue within two years; a minor can do both after turning 18. N.J. Stat. Ann. 59:8-8, 59:8-9 (Tort Claims Act)
Child sexual abuse: The civil SOL for CSA, trafficking, and CSAM claims against all defendants is age 55 or 7 years after discovering an injury caused by the abuse, even for claims that have already expired. CHILD USA's summary

Criminal charges

Physical child abuse: For endangering the welfare of a child (which includes a caregiver causing a child physical abuse or neglect): five years after the victim turns 18, or two years after the victim discovers the offense, whichever is later. Other child cruelty charges (a fourth-degree crime) have the general five years from the offense. N.J. Stat. Ann. 2C:1-6(b)(4); offenses 2C:24-4(a)(2), 9:6-3
Assault: Five years from the offense for aggravated assault and other indictable crimes. Simple assault (a disorderly persons offense): one year. N.J. Stat. Ann. 2C:1-6(b)(1), (b)(2); aggravated assault 2C:12-1(b)
Child sexual abuse: CSA: There is no SOL for felony or aggravated sexual assault. The SOL for criminal sexual conduct and endangering the welfare of a child is age 23. The SOL for other felonies is 5 years from the offense, and 1 year for misdemeanors, with discovery and DNA rules. Trafficking: The SOL for trafficking offenses is 5 years from the offense. CSAM: The SOL for CSAM offenses is age 23 or 2 years from the victim’s discovery of the offense, whichever is later. CHILD USA's summary

The injury, assault and physical abuse lines are our reading of the statutes linked, as they stood on 28 September 2026. The child sexual abuse lines are CHILD USA's summary as it stood on 28 September 2026; their page may be more current than ours. In them SOL means statute of limitations, CSA child sexual abuse, and CSAM child sexual abuse material. Exceptions, court rulings and the details of what happened can all change which time limit applies, and some of these may be longer or shorter for you than they look here. CHILD USA's statute of limitations tracker, updated as each state changes its law. A lawyer can tell you which time limit applies to you, and many offer a free first consultation.

The therapist's licensing board

Holds the individual clinician's licence and can suspend or revoke it.

New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, professional boards

Multiple professions

Houses the Professional Counselor Examiners Committee, the Board of Social Work Examiners, the State Board of Psychological Examiners and the State Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Examiners, and takes complaints against all of them through one portal.

Use this whenA licensed counselor, social worker, psychologist or marriage and family therapist in New Jersey.

HowFile through the Division's board complaint portal, or post the board's form to its Newark address.

The Division warns that anything you put on the complaint form may become public. The completed form is a government record, and once any investigation is finished the board may be obliged to release it to anyone who requests it.

973-504-6200
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By postNew Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, 124 Halsey Street, Newark, NJ 07101

The agency that licenses the program

Inspects the facility itself and can cite, fine, suspend or close it.

New Jersey DCF Office of Licensing

The Department of Children and Families' licensing and regulatory authority for youth and residential programs, children's group homes, resource family homes and adoption agencies. It inspects them and investigates health and safety violations.

Use this whenA licensed New Jersey youth or residential program. Allegations of abuse go to the State Central Registry instead.

HowCall the licensing complaint line or file online. Complaints may be made anonymously.

Inspection and violation reports, and a summary of any complaint made against a licensed centre, have to be made available on request.

Law enforcement and legal channels

Child protection, the Attorney General, and the criminal side.

New Jersey State Central Registry (1-877 NJ ABUSE)

The statutory report line for child abuse and neglect. New Jersey requires every report of abuse in an institutional setting - child care centres, schools, foster homes and residential treatment centres - to come here, and the Division of Child Protection and Permanency must start investigating within 24 hours.

Use this whenA child at a New Jersey program. You do not need proof, and you can report anonymously.

HowCall the 24-hour line. If the child is in immediate danger, call 911 as well.

1-877-652-2873 1-877-NJ-ABUSE. 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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Oversight and advocacy

Bodies with a right to investigate, and advocates who can act for you.

Disability Rights New Jersey

New Jersey's Protection and Advocacy agency, with federal authority to investigate abuse and neglect of people with disabilities in facilities, a right of access to them, and free legal advocacy. It publishes its own guide to reporting abuse or neglect in New Jersey.

Use this whenA New Jersey program where the young person has a disability or a mental health diagnosis.

HowContact the intake line, or start from its reporting guide.

1-800-922-7233 Main line 609-292-9742; TTY 609-633-7106.
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National reporting channels, and the same list for other states