Bellwether Behavioral Health, a for-profit disability care company that previously lost its licenses in Delaware and Florida, has now lost its relationship with New Jersey's Department of Human Services. 

Last year WNYC reported that Bellwether, the largest group home provider for developmentally disabled adults in New Jersey, had thirteen times the average rate of abuse or neglect complaints compared to other large group home companies. Since then, another client has died in the company's care, and the state has put a moratorium on admissions to Bellwether’s facilities and installed an independent monitor to oversee its operations. That monitor found group homes that failed as many as 60 standards for the health, safety, and civil rights of residents. 

“While action has been taken to address immediate concerns," said Jonathan Seifried, Assistant Commissioner of the Division of Developmental Disabilities, "the provider has not been able to demonstrate the systemic improvement needed to continue operations in our state."

New Jersey is turning over operations of Bellwether’s 62 group homes to nine other care providers. That transition should happen in the next few months, but DHS did not give a deadline for Bellwether's departure.

Current Bellwether support staff who meet DHS qualifications will remain employed in the group homes, and the independent monitor will oversee the transition in operations. Bellwether Behavioral Health did not respond to a request for comment, and the company's telephone number in Virginia, the only other state where it still claims operations, has been disconnected. Wellspring Capital Management, the private equity firm that owned Bellwether as of last year, will not confirm or deny whether it still holds the company in its investment portfolio.

Correction: An earlier version of the story stated that all of the agencies taking over Bellwether-run group homes are for-profit. That was incorrect, some are nonprofit companies.