Bill Text: NJ A4524 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires DHS to take certain measures concerning Integrated Case Management Services program.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-08-13 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Human Services Committee [A4524 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-A4524-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman DANIEL R. BENSON
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Requires DHS to take certain measures concerning Integrated Case Management Services program.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning Integrated Case Management Services 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. The Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in the Department of Human Services shall develop and implement procedures, and utilize appropriate tools, as necessary to administer, monitor, and evaluate the Integrated Case Management Services (ICMS) program.
The purpose of the ICMS program is to assist consumers aged 18 years of age and older with persistent behavioral health issues to gain access to needed behavioral health, medical, social, educational, vocational, housing, and other services and resources needed to successfully integrate into the community of their choice upon discharge from a state or county hospital or short-term care facility.
b. The division shall outline the parameters of the ICMS program and the goals of program services as follows:
(1) establish baseline program requirements;
(2) set expected standards of service;
(3) establish qualitative and quantitative measures of ICMS program provider performance;
(4) establish standard criteria for admission to program services and termination of program services;
(5) establish protocols concerning the affiliation or coordination of multiple service providers;
(6) establish documentation and reporting requirements for service providers; and
(7) establish procedures for site inspections of contracted service providers by the Office of Licensing in the Department of Human Services to ensure that all service providers are licensed as required.
c. The division shall develop, maintain, and use a comprehensive database or data system that:
(1) identifies all consumers receiving integrated case management services through the ICMS program;
(2) includes data regarding each individual consumer's referral or admission to the program;
(3) identifies the services received from providers;
(4) documents the progress made by each consumer participating in the ICMS program;
(5) documents the termination of program services; and
(6) provides any other information as necessary to enable the division to effectively monitor the ICMS program and track consumer outcomes.
d. The division shall use the requirements and expected standards of service and the qualitative and quantitative measures of ICMS program provider performance, established pursuant to subsection b. of this section, to periodically evaluate the performance of service providers.
e. The division shall develop procedures and utilize appropriate tools to ensure that the provision of ICMS to a hospitalized consumer of services is consistent with the purpose of the ICMS program to assist those with an imminent discharge date to integrate into their community of choice.
2. a. Within 180 days after the date of enactment of this act, and notwithstanding the provisions of the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.) to the contrary, the Commissioner of Human Services, shall, immediately upon filing proper notice with the Office of Administrative Law, adopt rules and regulations necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act.
b. The rules and regulations adopted pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall be in effect for a period not to exceed one year after the date of the filing. These rules and regulations shall thereafter be adopted, amended, or readopted by the commissioner in accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.).
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) to develop and implement procedures, and utilize appropriate tools as necessary, to administer, monitor, and evaluate the Integrated Case Management Services (ICMS) program. The purpose of ICMS is to assist consumers aged 18 years of age and older with persistent behavioral health issues to gain access to needed behavioral health, medical, social, educational, vocational, housing, and other services and resources needed to successfully integrate into the community of their choice upon discharge from a state or county hospital or short-term care facility.
The bill requires the division to outline the parameters of the ICMS program and the goals of program services as follows: establish baseline program requirements; set expected standards of service; establish qualitative and quantitative measures of ICMS program provider performance; establish standard criteria for admission to program services and termination of program services; establish protocols concerning the affiliation or coordination of multiple service providers; establish documentation and reporting requirements for service providers; and establish procedures for site inspections of contracted service providers by the Office of Licensing in the Department of Human Services to ensure that all service providers are licensed as required. The bill also requires that the division develop, maintain, and use a comprehensive database or data system that identifies all consumers receiving integrated case management services through the ICMS program, in addition to certain other information to enable the division to monitor the program and track consumer outcomes. The division is to periodically evaluate the performance of service providers using the expected standards of service and qualitative and quantitative performance measures established pursuant to the bill.
The bill further requires that the division develop procedures and utilize appropriate tools to ensure that the provision of ICMS to a hospitalized consumer of services is consistent with the purpose of the ICMS program to assist those with an imminent discharge date to integrate into their community of choice. Pursuant to the bill's provisions, the Commissioner of Human Services is to adopt interim rules and regulations necessary to effectuate the bill's purposes, within 180 days of enactment.
This bill implements the recommendations of the Office of the State Auditor for ICMS following its audit of certain DMHAS programs from July 1, 2011 through September 7, 2016. The audit suggests that the absence of regulatory guidance for the ICMS program has contributed to inconsistency, lack of standardization in delivery of services, and confusion among providers regarding the purpose and parameters of the ICMS program.
