Proposed Consent Decree Seeks to Address Unsafe Conditions at Menlo Park and Paramus Facilities.
NEW JERSEY — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division announced a proposed consent decree with the state of New Jersey to address findings of unconstitutional conditions at the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes at Menlo Park and Paramus. The court must approve the decree to resolve allegations that New Jersey failed to adequately protect residents from harm and unreasonable risk.
The complaint and consent decree are part of efforts to address deficiencies identified by the Department of Justice following an investigation initiated in October 2020 under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA). CRIPA allows the federal government to intervene when there is evidence of a pattern of constitutional rights violations against individuals in the custody of state or local institutions.
In September 2023, the federal government notified the state of its findings, concluding that residents at Menlo Park and Paramus faced significant harm due to inadequate infection control practices and substandard medical care, violating their rights under the 14th Amendment. The proposed decree seeks to address these issues through specific standards for clinical care, improvements in infection control, and enhancements in leadership and accountability at the facilities. It also proposes the appointment of an independent monitor to ensure compliance.