ABUSEPREVENTIONANDQUALITYIMPROVEMENT
ABUSE PREVENTION AND QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
ABUSE PREVENTION AND QUALITY IMPROVEMENT A core element of the Justice Center’s mission is to develop tools to help prevent mistreatment of people who are vulnerable to abuse. The agency accomplishes this through a number of practices including:
APPLICANTS DENIED APPROVAL FOR EMPLOYMENT CONSIDERATION
AGENCY
TOTAL DENIED
395 applicants
OPWDD
229
OMH OCFS
98 68
were denied approval for employment consideration in 2025
Pre-employment checks to ensure the safety of both people receiving services and the workforce, data analysis of trends, issuance of guidance, best practices that promote positive outcomes, and quality improvement reviews.
At times, The Justice Center’s Criminal Background Check determines an individual’s criminal history makes them unsuitable to work with populations under Justice Center jurisdiction. In 2025, this occured 395 times. STAFF EXCLUSION LIST The first line of defense against system-wide abuse is the Justice Center’s Staff Exclusion List (SEL). The Justice Center places all subjects substantiated for Category One conduct, which includes serious or repeated acts of abuse or neglect, on the SEL. Placement on the SEL permanently bars an individual from working in all settings under the Justice Center’s jurisdiction. The total number of individuals on the SEL at the end of 2025 was 1,137, an increase of 112 from 2024. Preventing Abusers from Re-entering the Service System Provider agencies under the Justice Center’s jurisdiction, as well as other providers identified in statute, are required to check the SEL before hiring someone who will have regular and substantial contact with a person with special needs. In 2025, providers checked the SEL 31,000 times per month on average. Since 2014, there have been 472 instances where an individual on the SEL attempted to re-enter the service system and were denied due to their placement on the SEL. This vital check prevents staff members who have committed serious or repeated acts of abuse and neglect from obtaining employment in a service setting under Justice Center jurisdiction.
1,137 total individuals were on the SEL at the end of 2025
Prevention CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS
The Justice Center reviews and evaluates the criminal history of all prospective employees or volunteers applying for jobs at provider agencies under its jurisdiction and advises about the individual’s suitability for employment. This comprehensive review provides a safety net for people receiving services while at the same time mitigates risk for employers and the dedicated workforce. CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS, FINGERPRINTS PROCESSED & APPLICANTS REVIEWED
The Justice Center processes upwards of 100,000 fingerprints annually Since Justice Center operations began, the agency has performed close to 1 MILLION criminal background checks
AGENCY
TOTAL FINGERPRINTS PROCESSED
The SEL is truly the first line of defense when protecting people receiving care in New York. - Maria Lisi-Murray Acting Executive Director
OPWDD
85,476 30,872
OMH OCFS
8,129 Applicants Reviewed 18,982 Applicants Flagged for Additional Information 992
2025 Annual Report 23
NYS JUSTICE CENTER 2025 Annual Report 22
NYS JUSTICE CENTER
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