Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman SHANIQUE SPEIGHT
District 29 (Essex and Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Provides incentives for certified nurse aides and nursing students to work as direct support professionals; makes appropriation.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning direct support professionals, supplementing Title 26 and Title 45 of the Revised Statutes, and making an appropriation.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Department of Health shall establish a certified nurse aide funding program to distribute monies to employers of certified nurse aides, who provide direct support professional services under the employer, in an amount that is necessary to compensate the certified nurse aide for work as a direct support professional at the pay rate equal to the pay rate typically paid for certified nurse aide services, as determined by the department. The monies shall be used by the employers to incentivize certified nurse aides who are employed by the employer to work as direct support professionals. The Commissioner of Health shall establish an application process, guidelines, and compliance standards for the certified nurse aide funding program.
2. The New Jersey Board of Nursing shall require schools of nursing approved by the board to grant a nursing student, who works as a direct support professional, academic credit towards the student's nursing degree for the student's experience as a direct support professional.
3. The Commissioner of Health and the New Jersey Board of Nursing shall each adopt rules and regulations, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this act.
4. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health such funds as are necessary to effectuate the provisions of this act.
5. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill provides incentives for certified nurse aides and nursing students to work as direct support professionals.
The bill establishes a certified nurse aide funding program in the Department of Health (DOH) to distribute monies to employers of certified nurse aides, who provide direct support professional services under the employer, in an amount that is necessary to compensate the certified nurse aide for work as a direct support professional at the pay rate equal to the pay rate typically paid for certified nurse aide services, as determined by the DOH. The Commissioner of Health will establish an application process, guidelines, and compliance standards for the certified nurse aide funding program.
Under the bill, the New Jersey Board of Nursing (board) will require schools of nursing approved by the board to grant a nursing student, who works as a direct support professional, academic credit towards the student's nursing degree for the student's experience as a direct support professional.
The bill appropriates from the General Fund to the Department of Health such funds as are necessary to effectuate the provisions of the bill.