Bill Text: NJ A2406 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Encourages expansion of community mental health programs to include mental health services to veterans; prohibits veterans from being denied county mental health services.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 5-1)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-09 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Health Committee [A2406 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2024-A2406-Introduced.html

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ASSEMBLY, No. 2406

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

221st LEGISLATURE

 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION

 

 

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  ERIK K. SIMONSEN

District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)

Assemblyman  HERB CONAWAY, JR.

District 7 (Burlington)

Assemblywoman  MICHELE MATSIKOUDIS

District 21 (Middlesex, Morris, Somerset and Union)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblyman McClellan

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Encourages expansion of community mental health programs to include mental health services to veterans; prohibits veterans from being denied county mental health services.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.

  

An Act concerning county mental health services, amending P.L.1957, c.146, and amending and supplementing P.L.1983, c.435.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.  Section 1 of P.L.1957, c.146 (C.30:9A-1) is amended to read as follows:

     1.  It is declared to be the public policy of this State to encourage the development of preventive, treatment and transitional services for mental health clients through the improvement and expansion of community mental health programs in designated service areas for the entire State which will provide these elements of adequate services:

     (a) In-patient services;

     (b) Out-patient services;

     (c) Partial hospitalization services such as day care, night care, weekend care; 

     (d) Emergency services 24 hours per day to be available within at least one of the first three services listed above;

     (e) Consultation and education services available to community agencies and professional personnel;

     (f) Children's services;

     (g) Services for the elderly;

     (h) Screening services;

     (i) Rehabilitative services including vocational and educational programs;

     (j) Transitional services;

     (k) Advocacy services;

     (l) Training services; [and]

     (m) Research and evaluation; and

     (n) Services for veterans.

     The aforementioned services are to be provided principally for persons residing in a particular community or communities which are designated as the community mental health center service area, in or near which the facilities providing the elements of service are situated.

     It is further declared to be the public policy of this State to establish a Community Mental Health Citizens Advisory Board for mental health services to plan, establish and recommend to the Commissioner of Human Services and the Director of the Division of Mental Health Services those policies which are necessary to ensure the development and adequate delivery of the aforementioned elements of mental health services.

(cf: P.L.1995, c.4, s.6)

     2.  Section 3 of P.L.1983, c.435 (C.30:9A-9.2) is amended to read as follows:

     3.  a.  The reimbursement or advancement grants shall be used to initiate or expand services to the following target populations and such other populations as may be designated by the Commissioner of [the Department] of Human Services:

     (1) Persons in State or county psychiatric institutions whose conditions do not warrant institutionalization; [and]

     (2) Adults and children in the community who have psychiatric problems and are at risk of hospitalization because of a lack of alternative community services; and

     (3) Veterans in need of mental health services.

     b.  The commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations clearly delineating the conditions which shall be met for an individual to be considered part of a "target population."

     c.  In addition, the commissioner shall promulgate standards for monitoring  and evaluating local mental health programs and shall cause a report, in  writing, to be prepared and submitted to the Governor and the Legislature through the [Standing Reference Committees on Institutions, Health and Welfare] Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens and Senate Military and Veterans' Affairs Committees, the Assembly Human Services, Senior Services and Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committees, and the Office of Legislative Services on the results of the monitoring and evaluation, in a manner sufficient to indicate utilization of State funds for  target populations served.  The commissioner shall include in the report a funding source analysis of all projects within each county receiving reimbursement or advancement grants.  The report shall be submitted within 12 months following enactment of this act and annually thereafter.

(cf: P.L.1983, c.435, s.3)

 

     3.  (New section)  a.  Notwithstanding any law, rule, regulation, or order to the contrary, a veteran in need of mental health services who meets the eligibility requirements of a county mental health services program shall not be denied county mental health services:

     (1) based solely on the person's status as a veteran, including whether or not the person is eligible for services provided by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs; or

     (2) while waiting for a determination of eligibility for, or the availability of, mental health services provided by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, when referred to such services pursuant to subsection b. of this section.

     b.  A county mental health services program:

     (1) shall advise a veteran who may be eligible for mental health services through the United States Department of Veterans Affairs of their presumed eligibility for such services, and refer the veteran to the appropriate county veterans' affairs office for assistance with eligibility determination of such mental health services as appropriate; and

     (2) may enter into a contract with a community-based veterans' mental health services organization, where possible, to provide veteran-specific mental health services.

 

     4.  (New section)  In accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), the Department of Human Services shall adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act.

 

     5.    This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill encourages the expansion of community mental health programs to include mental health services to veterans and prohibits veterans from being denied county mental health services.

     Specifically, the bill amends section 1 of P.L.1957, c.146 (C.30:9A-1) to stipulate that the public policy of the State is to encourage the improvement and expansion of community mental health programs in designated service areas in order to provide mental health services to veterans.  Current State public policy does not specifically stipulate that community mental health programs in designated service areas are to provide mental health services to veterans.

     The bill also amends section 3 of P.L.1983, c. 435 (C.30:9A-9.2) to require that reimbursement or advancement grants distributed by the Department of Human Services in areas lacking community mental health centers are to be used to initiate or expand services to veterans in need of mental health services.  Currently, reimbursement or advancement grants are used to initiate or expand services for certain target populations which do not include veterans in need of mental health services.

     The provisions of the bill mandate that a veteran in need of mental health services who meets the eligibility requirements of a county mental health services program is not be denied county mental health services:(1) based solely on the person's status as a veteran, including whether or not the person is eligible for services provided by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs; or (2) while waiting for a determination of eligibility for, or the availability of, mental health services provided by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

     Under the bill's provisions, a county mental health services program: (1) is to advise a veteran who may be eligible for mental health services through the United States Department of Veterans
Affairs of their presumed eligibility for services, and refer the veteran to the appropriate county veterans' affairs office for assistance with eligibility determination for these, as appropriate; and (2) may enter into a contract with a community-based veterans' mental health services organization, where possible, to provide veteran-specific mental health services.