Consumer Help Links

Other Resources in the Department of Health and Senior Services

Hospitals and Health Care Quality

• Office of Health Care Quality Assessment – Works to improve health care quality by developing data and producing reports for consumers, health care professionals and others.  Cardiac surgery report card, Hospital Performance Report and other resources can be found at this site.
   
  
• Hospital Finance and Charity Care -- Administers the Hospital Care Payment Assistance Program (Charity Care) for people who are uninsured and underinsured.   Operates a helpline that the public and hospital staff members can call with questions related to the program.

Seniors and Caregivers

• NJ EASE: New Jersey Easy Access, Single Entry is the easy way for seniors and their families to get information about and access senior services. NJ EASE is one toll-free telephone number to put you in touch with someone to help you learn about and apply for important programs and benefits.
     
• Division of Aging & Community Services: Administers programs designed to make it easier for seniors and caregivers to get the help they need to support their well-being and to enable seniors to remain living in the community as long as possible with independence, dignity and choice.

• Division of Senior Benefits and Utilization: Administers two prescription drug assistance programs – Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled and the Senior Gold Prescription Discount program – the Lifeline utility assistance program, and the Hearing Aid Assistance to the Aged and Disabled program.
   
• CaregiverNJ web site -- Caregiving is active, unpaid and continuous help provided for a frail or disabled person -- family member, friend, or neighbor. This web site features extensive resources for caregivers, educational tools, self-assessment, and a searchable database by topic and county.
   
• Aging and Disability Resource Connection -- Web site offers “one door” access to information and help for seniors and adults with physical disabilities.  The web site helps link people to programs and services in their communities.
   
• Division of Addiction Services -- Provides Statewide leadership for alcohol and other drug prevention and treatment services for New Jersey residents; to decrease misuse or abuse of alcohol and other drugs by supporting the development of a comprehensive, high quality network of prevention and treatment; and to recognize addiction as a treatable illness where people at risk for/or with addiction problems are managed with dignity and respect, in a safe environment that is recovery oriented and accountable to the public.
   
• Division of Mental Health Services -- Serves adults with serious and persistent mental illnesses. Central to the Division's mission is the fact that these individuals are entitled to dignified and meaningful lives.
   
• Office of the Public Guardian and Elder Rights -- Serves as guardian or conservator of last resort for those individuals age 60 and older living in the community who have no willing or responsible family member or friend to act in that capacity. The office also administers the Adult Protective Services Program.
   
• Ombudsman for the Institutionalized Elderly - Acts as an advocate for residents and helps to protect their rights.  The Ombudsman and staff can answer questions, provide information and handle complaints about residents’ rights and other areas of concern to residents.