Bill Text: NJ A4512 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires reporting of suicide attempts made by first responders.
Spectrum: Unknown
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-09-22 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee [A4512 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2022-A4512-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman WILLIAM B. SAMPSON, IV
District 31 (Hudson)
Assemblywoman SADAF F. JAFFER
District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)
SYNOPSIS
Requires reporting of suicide attempts made by first responders.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act requiring the report of suicide attempts made by first responders and supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. As used in this section:
"First responder" means a law enforcement officer, paid or volunteer firefighter, paid or volunteer member of a duly incorporated first aid, emergency, ambulance, or rescue squad association, or any other individual who, in the course of that individual's employment, is dispatched to the scene of an emergency situation for the purpose of providing medical care or other assistance.
2. a. Every case of attempted suicide or death by suicide by a first responder shall, within three business days, be reported to the Director of the Division of Mental Health Services in the Department of Human Services by the physician or medical examiner consulted, attending, or treating the case, or the administrator or administrator's designee, whenever such case is presented for treatment or treated in a general hospital licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.).
b. The director shall maintain a database of first responder attempted suicides and deaths by suicide. The database shall compile data about reported attempted suicides and deaths by suicide by first responders in the State, without identifying any individuals involved.
c. The director shall annually issue a report to the Governor and the Legislature, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), containing a summary of the data compiled that includes aggregate demographic information about first responders who attempt or commit suicide.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires every case of attempted suicide or death by suicide by a first responder to be reported to the Director of the Division of Mental Health Services in the Department of Human Services.
The Office of the Surgeon General of the United States has highlighted suicide as a significant public health problem. In 2019, there were 47,500 suicide fatalities and an estimated 1.4 million suicide attempts. First responders are at an especially elevated risk of suicide because of the environment in which they work and the stressors they face. Additionally, stressors are magnified during times of emergency, impacting the mental and physical health of the first responder more severely.
EMS providers are 1.39 times more likely to die by suicide than members of the public. Data on deaths among first responders is also likely to be under-reported because of perceived stigma and concerns over impact on employment.
To begin to understand and address this problem, the Division of Mental Health Services within the Department of Human Services will maintain a database of all attempts and deaths by suicide of first responders without identifying any individual involved. Additionally, the director will issue an annual report to the Governor and the Legislature of the data compiled, including aggregate demographic information about first responders who attempt or commit suicide.
