Bill Text: NJ A4074 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes Office of Ombudsman for Navigating Services and Supports for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-09-15 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Human Services Committee [A4074 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2016-A4074-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE
District 37 (Bergen)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes Office of Ombudsman for Navigating Services and Supports for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing the Office of the Ombudsman for Navigating Services and Supports for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities and supplementing Title 30 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. There is established in but not of the Department of the Treasury the Office of the Ombudsman for Navigating Services and Supports for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities. For the purpose of complying with the provisions of Article V, Section IV, paragraph 1 of the New Jersey Constitution, the Office of the Ombudsman for Navigating Services and Supports for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities is hereby allocated within the Department of the Treasury, but notwithstanding this allocation, the office shall be independent of any supervision or control by the department or any board or officer thereof, or any other cabinet-level department, board, or officer thereof. The purpose of the ombudsman is to assist individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their families or guardians, as appropriate, to navigate the various systems for services and supports available to these individuals, including, but not limited to, those for health care, transportation, housing and employment, and any financial assistance available to secure these services and supports.
b. The Governor shall appoint an Ombudsman for Navigating Services and Supports for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities who shall be qualified by training and experience to perform the duties of the office. The ombudsman shall be a person of recognized judgment, integrity and objectivity, and shall be skilled in communication and professionalism.
c. The ombudsman shall organize and direct the work of the office, including the work of professional and clerical staff as may be necessary to carry out the ombudsman's duties.
2. a. The duties of the Office of the Ombudsman for Navigating Services and Supports for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1) to serve as a source of information for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their families or guardians and help them better understand available services and supports for health care, transportation, housing and employment, and any financial assistance available to secure these services and supports;
(2) to provide information and support to individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their families or guardians in understanding and navigating the process for obtaining these services and supports; and
(3) to assist the Division of Developmental Disabilities in the Department of Human Services in providing informational programs designed to acquaint and educate individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their families or guardians, as appropriate, and the public about the duties of the ombudsman.
b. The ombudsman shall coordinate its duties with other federal or State entities authorized to provide services or supports to individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities, as necessary to help these individuals navigate the systems for obtaining services, supports, and financial assistance.
c. The ombudsman shall treat communications received in the course of the ombudsman's duties, including personally identifiable information regarding individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their families or guardians, and others from whom information is acquired, as confidential, except when disclosure is necessary to enable the ombudsman to perform the duties of the office and consent for disclosure is obtained. Upon receipt of information that by law is confidential or privileged, the ombudsman shall maintain the confidentiality of the information and shall not disclose or disseminate the information except as provided by applicable State or federal law.
3. a. The Office of the Ombudsman for Navigating Services and Supports for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities shall issue a written annual report to the Commissioners of Human Services, Children and Families, Labor and Workforce Development, and Community Affairs, and to the Executive Director of New Jersey Transit, which includes a summary of the services the ombudsman provided during the year, and any specific recommendations the ombudsman deems appropriate and necessary concerning the navigation of systems that provide services or supports to individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities in the State.
b. The ombudsman also shall issue the report prepared pursuant to subsection a. of this section to the Governor, and pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature.
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes the Office of the Ombudsman for Navigating Services and Supports for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities. The ombudsman is to assist individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their families or guardians, as appropriate, to navigate the various systems for services and supports available for these individuals, including, but not limited to, those for health care, transportation, housing and employment, and any financial assistance available to secure these services and supports. The Governor would appoint the ombudsman, who is to be qualified by training and experience to perform the duties of the office, and be a person of recognized judgment, integrity, and objectivity.
The duties of the ombudsman are to: serve as a source of information for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their families or guardians and help them better understand available services and supports for health care, transportation, housing and employment, and any financial assistance available to secure these services and supports; provide information and support in understanding and navigating the process for obtaining these services and supports; and assist the Division of Developmental Disabilities in the Department of Human Services in providing informational programs to acquaint and educate individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities, their families or guardians, and the public about the duties of the ombudsman.
The office also is required to coordinate its duties with other federal or State entities authorized to provide services or supports to individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities, as necessary to help these individuals navigate the systems for obtaining services and supports.
The bill further requires that communications be kept confidential, except when disclosure is necessary to perform the duties of the office and consent is obtained for disclosure. The ombudsman is to issue an annual report to the Commissioners of Human Services, Children and Families, Labor and Workforce Development, and Community Affairs, and to the Executive Director of New Jersey Transit on the services provided by the office, and include recommendations the ombudsman deems appropriate and necessary concerning the navigation of systems that provide services and supports to individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
