N.J. Stat. tit. 9, ch. 12A

in effect

N.J. Stat. § 9:12A-1 Establishment of children's shelter; management; funds

25. The governing body of any county may establish, equip and maintain a home for the temporary detention of children, separated entirely from any place of confinement of adults, to be known as "The Children's Shelter of .................. County," which shall be conducted as an agency for the purposes of caring for the children of the county whose cases are pending before the Superior Court, Chancery Division, Family Part in the county or who are homeless or abandoned, abused, neglected or cruelly treated, or who, being under 16 years of age, are witnesses before such court or some other court. The governing body of the county may appropriate sufficient funds for the purchase of property and the building or buildings and the furnishing of supplies and equipment therefor from the annual appropriations, or if they consider the amount too great to add to the annual appropriation, they may issue bonds for such purpose. The building may be built on property owned by the county or the governing body of the county may acquire the same by gift, purchase or condemnation. The governing body of the county may appoint a committee of 7 citizens of the county, who together with the director of the governing body of the county as ex-officio shall constitute the board of trustees of the children's shelter. The board of trustees shall make the rules and regulations for the management of the children's shelter and the groupings of the children therein. In any county in which a children's shelter is or shall be established and operated pursuant to this section, solely for children who are homeless or abandoned, abused, neglected or cruelly treated, the governing body of the county may, by resolution, determine to operate and manage such children's shelter instead of appointing a board of trustees for such purpose, in which case the governing body of the county shall have and may exercise all the powers of a board of trustees as provided in this section. The shelter shall be in the charge of a superintendent, and the board of managers, or the governing body of the county, as the case may be, shall have authority to appoint the superintendent, and other employees in like manner as other county employees are appointed; the governing body of the county shall provide the funds for carrying on the shelter and for the betterments, improvements and replacements that may be required, in the annual appropriations, but money for new buildings and the equipment thereof and other permanent improvements may be raised by bond issue. L.1953,c.9,s.25; amended 1953,c.428,s.10; 1958,c.100; 1990,c.26,s.8; 1991,c.91,s.210.

N.J. Stat. § 9:12A-2 Short title.

1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "New Jersey Homeless Youth Act." L.1999,c.224,s.1.

N.J. Stat. § 9:12A-3 Findings, declarations relative to homeless youth.

2. The Legislature finds and declares that: homeless youth are a largely invisible population; many of these children have no families and are being exploited by adults or are turning to delinquency as a way to survive on the streets; these young people are urgently in need of services which will prevent them from becoming permanently homeless; therefore, it is in the best interest of the State to establish and support a continuum of services geared specifically for homeless youth, including street outreach or basic center shelter or transitional living programs. L.1999,c.224,s.2.

N.J. Stat. § 9:12A-4 Definitions relative to homeless youth.

3. As used in P.L.1999, c.224 (C.9:12A-2 et seq.): "Department" means the Department of Children and Families. "Division" means the Division of Child Protection and Permanency in the Department of Children and Families. "Homeless youth" means a person 21 years of age or younger who is without shelter where appropriate care and supervision are available. L.1999, c.224, s.3; amended 2006, c.47, s.74; 2012, c.16, s.40.

N.J. Stat. § 9:12A-5 Comprehensive programs for homeless youth; list of organizations, agencies participating.

4. The department shall establish and support a comprehensive program for homeless youth in the State by contracting with organizations and agencies, licensed by the department, that provide street outreach or basic center shelter or transitional living services for homeless youth. The department shall establish licensure requirements and shall contract for programs that ensure that services, as specified by this act, are provided to homeless youth in the State in an appropriate and responsible manner. The commissioner may establish such other requirements for the homeless youth programs as he deems necessary. On or before December 31 of each year, the department shall provide to the Office of Homelessness Prevention in the Department of Community Affairs a list of organizations and agencies participating in the program and any available information in the possession of the department concerning persons who are homeless or at risk for homelessness in accordance with any applicable privacy, security, and data quality standards. L.1999, c.224, s.4; amended 2019, c.73, s.3.

N.J. Stat. § 9:12A-6 Street outreach program.

5. A street outreach program for homeless youth shall enhance the accessibility of resources to a homeless youth by locating, contacting and providing services to the youth through mobile outreach. The services provided by the street outreach program, as determined by the department's contract, may include, but are not limited to: a. Assistance in finding temporary or short-term shelter; b. Assistance in obtaining food; c. A clothing allowance; d. Individual and group counseling in the area of violence prevention; e. Information and referral services regarding organizations and agencies that provide support services to homeless youth; and f. Assistance in obtaining medical care. L.1999,c.224,s.5.

N.J. Stat. § 9:12A-7 Basic center shelter program.

6. a. A basic center shelter program shall provide a homeless youth with 24-hour, seven-day a week, walk-in access to emergency, short-term residential care. The services offered by the program shall provide a homeless youth with a stable out-of-home placement and help reunite the youth with his parent or legal guardian, except in the case where family reunification is not in the youth's best interest. The services provided at the basic center shelter, as determined by the department's contract, may include, but are not limited to, the following core services: (1) Family reunification services; (2) Individual, family and group counseling; (3) Food; (4) A clothing allowance; (5) Medical care; (6) Educational services; (7) Recreational activities; and (8) Advocacy and referral services. b. If a homeless youth under the age of 18 is admitted to a basic center shelter, the shelter shall attempt to notify the youth's parent or legal guardian of the youth's admission within 24 hours after the admission. The notification shall include a description of the youth's physical and emotional condition and the circumstances surrounding the youth's admission to the basic center shelter, unless there are compelling reasons not to provide the parent or legal guardian with this information. Compelling reasons include, but are not limited to, circumstances in which the youth is or has been a victim of child abuse or neglect. c. If a homeless youth under the age of 18 is admitted to a basic center shelter, the shelter shall notify the division of the youth's admission to the basic center shelter within 24 hours after the admission to determine if the youth is in the legal care or custody of the division. If the homeless youth is in the legal care or custody of the division, the division, in consultation with the basic center shelter, shall determine what services shall be provided to the youth. The services may include, but are not limited to: crisis intervention services, continued temporary placement in the basic center shelter for up to 30 days, placement in an alternative living arrangement or referral to a transitional living program established pursuant to section 7 of this act or to other appropriate organizations and agencies. d. When the basic center shelter has reason to believe that the youth is an abused or neglected child as defined in P.L.1974, c.119 (C.9:6-8.21 et seq.), the basic center shelter shall report the allegation to the division pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1971, c.437 (C.9:6-8.10). A homeless youth may remain at a basic center shelter for up to 30 days pending the division's disposition of any case originated pursuant to this subsection. e. If a homeless youth under the age of 18 is not in the legal care or custody of the division as provided in subsection c. of this section, and a basic center shelter has not made a report to the division pursuant to subsection d. of this section, the basic center shelter shall notify a juvenile-family crisis intervention unit, established pursuant to P.L.1982, c.80 (C.2A:4A-76 et seq.), in the county of residence of the homeless youth, within 24 hours of the youth's admission to the basic center shelter, that a juvenile-family crisis exists as defined in section 3 of P.L.1982, c.77 (C.2A:4A-22). f. In the event that a basic center shelter notifies a juvenile-family crisis intervention unit pursuant to subsection e. of this section, the homeless youth may remain at the basic center shelter for up to 10 days without the consent of the youth's parent or legal guardian. During this time, the juvenile-family crisis intervention unit and the basic center shelter shall help to reunite the youth with his parent or legal guardian. If reunification with the parent or legal guardian is not in the youth's best interest or not possible because the youth's parent or legal guardian cannot be located, the juvenile-family crisis intervention unit, in consultation with the basic center shelter, shall determine what services shall be provided to the youth. The services may include, but are not limited to, crisis intervention services and continued temporary placement in the basic center shelter for up to an additional 30 days. g. In the case of a homeless youth from another state who is under the age of 18, a basic center shelter shall notify the Compact Administrator of the Interstate Compact on Juveniles, as soon as practicable, but within 24 hours of the youth's admission to the basic center shelter. The Compact Administrator shall facilitate the youth's return home to his parent or legal guardian or make other suitable care arrangements for the youth. L.1999,c.224,s.6.

N.J. Stat. § 9:12A-8 Transitional living program.

7. A transitional living program shall provide residential care and treatment services for up to 18 months to a homeless youth 16 to 21 years of age who demonstrates the maturity to function with minimal adult supervision. The program shall assist in the maintenance of a homeless youth in a living arrangement that will prepare the youth for independence and self-sufficiency through the direct provision of, or through referrals to, other organizations and agencies for services, as determined by the department's contract, which may include: (1) Educational assessment and attachment to an educational program; (2) Career planning, employment and life skills training; (3) Job placement; (4) Budgeting and money management; (5) Assistance in securing housing appropriate to a homeless youth's needs and income; and (6) Assistance in accessing other social services as may be appropriate. L.1999,c.224,s.7.

N.J. Stat. § 9:12A-9 Rules, regulations.

8. Subject to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), the Commissioner of Children and Families shall adopt rules and regulations for the licensing by the department of organizations and agencies that provide street outreach or basic center shelter or transitional living programs for homeless youth. L.1999, c.224, s.8; amended 2006, c.47, s.75.

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislative-activity/statutesFetched: 10/17/2026