“Abuse” means wrongfully inflicting or allowing to be inflicted physical abuse, sexual abuse, or verbal or psychological abuse or mistreatment by a caregiver upon an individual with a developmental disability.

“Caregiver” means a person who receives State funding, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, to provide services or supports, or both, to an individual with a developmental disability; except that “caregiver” shall not include an immediate family member of an individual with a developmental disability.

“Central registry” means the Central Registry of Offenders Against Individuals with Developmental Disabilities established pursuant to P.L.2010, c.5 (C. 30:6D-73 et seq.).

“Children’s System of Care” means the Division of Children’s System of Care in the Department of Children and Families.

“Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Human Services.

“Department” means the Department of Human Services.

“Developmental disability” means the same as that term is defined by section 3 of P.L.1977, c.82 (C. 30:6D-3).

“Exploitation” means the act or process of a caregiver using an individual with a developmental disability or his resources for another person’s profit or advantage.

“Intimate parts” means the following body parts of a person: sexual organs, genital area, anal area, inner thigh, groin, buttock, or breast.

“Lewdness” means the exposing of the genitals for the purpose of arousing or gratifying the sexual desire of a caregiver or an individual with a developmental disability, or any flagrantly lewd and offensive act which the caregiver knows or reasonably expects is likely to be observed by an individual with a developmental disability.

“Neglect” shall consist of any of the following acts by a caregiver on an individual with a developmental disability: willfully failing to provide proper and sufficient food, clothing, maintenance, medical care, or a clean and proper home; or failing to do or permit to be done any act necessary for the well-being of an individual with a developmental disability.

“Physical abuse” means a physical act directed at an individual with a developmental disability by a caregiver of a type that causes one or more of the following: pain, injury, anguish, or suffering. Such acts include, but are not limited to, the individual with a developmental disability being kicked, pinched, bitten, punched, slapped, hit, pushed, dragged, or struck with a thrown or held object.

“Program” means any program that is licensed or funded by the department for the purpose of providing services to individuals with developmental disabilities. “Program” includes, but is not limited to, a day program or a community-based residential program, as those terms are defined by section 1 of P.L.2017, c.238 (C. 30:6D-9.1).

“Sexual abuse” means an act or attempted act of lewdness, sexual contact, or sexual penetration between a caregiver and an individual with a developmental disability. Any form of sexual contact or activity between a caregiver and an individual with a developmental disability, absent marriage, domestic partnership, or civil union, is sexual abuse, regardless of whether the individual with a developmental disability gives consent or the caregiver is on or off duty.

“Sexual contact” means an intentional touching by a caregiver or individual with a developmental disability, either directly or through clothing, of the intimate parts of the individual with a developmental disability or the caregiver for the purpose of sexually arousing or sexually gratifying the caregiver. Sexual contact of the caregiver with himself must be in view of the individual with a developmental disability whom the caregiver knows to be present.

“Sexual penetration” means vaginal intercourse, cunnilingus, fellatio, or anal intercourse between a caregiver and an individual with a developmental disability or insertion of the hand, finger, or object into the anus or vagina, either by the caregiver or upon the caregiver’s instruction.

“Verbal or psychological abuse or mistreatment” means any verbal or non-verbal act or omission by a caregiver that inflicts one or more of the following: emotional harm; mental distress; or invocation of fear, humiliation, intimidation, or degradation to an individual with a developmental disability. Examples include, but are not limited to: bullying; ignoring need; verbal assault; use of racial or ethnic slurs; or intimidating gestures, such as shaking a fist at an individual with a developmental disability.

L.2010, c.5, s.2; amended 2017, c.213, s.2; 2017, c.238, s.8.