Bill Text: NJ A5534 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Establishes and allocates funds for program to provide mental health services to veterans; appropriates $2 million.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-06-05 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee [A5534 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2022-A5534-Introduced.html

ASSEMBLY, No. 5534

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

220th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED JUNE 5, 2023

 


 

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman  CLEOPATRA G. TUCKER

District 28 (Essex)

Assemblyman  WAYNE P. DEANGELO

District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)

Assemblyman  HERB CONAWAY, JR.

District 7 (Burlington)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Establishes and allocates funds for program to provide mental health services to veterans; appropriates $2 million. 

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

  


An Act establishing a mental health grant program for veterans, supplementing chapter 3 of Title 38A of the New Jersey Statutes, and making an appropriation.   

 

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

 

     1.  a.  The Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs shall establish a program to provide grants to recognized veterans organizations to provide mental health services to veterans.  The veterans organization shall contract with mental health care professionals to provide mental health services to veterans. 

     b.  As used in this act:

     "Mental health care professional" means a person who provides mental health services and is licensed or otherwise authorized, pursuant to Title 45 of the Revised Statutes, to practice a health care profession that is regulated by one of the following: the State Board of Medical Examiners; the State Board of Psychological Examiners; the State Board of Social Work Examiners; the State Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Examiners; the Alcohol and Drug Counselor Committee; the Professional Counselor Examiners Committee; and the Certified Psychoanalysts Advisory Committee.

     "Veterans organization" means a veteran organization that qualifies as a section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19) tax-exempt organization under the Internal Revenue Code, or a federally chartered Veterans' Service Organization.  It shall also include the New Jersey SOS Veterans Stakeholders Group and the New Jersey Catholic Charities Diocese. 

     c.  The Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs shall adopt regulations, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), to effectuate the purposes of this act.

 

     2.  There is appropriated $2,000,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs for the purpose of providing grants to veterans' organizations to be used to provide mental health services to veterans in accordance with section 1 of P.L.   , c.   (C.   )(pending before the Legislature as this bill). 

 

     3.  This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill directs the Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs to establish a program to provide grants to certain veterans organizations to provide mental health services to veterans.  The veterans organizations will contract with mental health care professionals to provide the services.  The bill appropriates $2,000,000 from the General Fund for the program.

     The bill defines "veterans organization" to mean a veterans organization that qualifies as a section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19) tax-exempt organization under the Internal Revenue Code, or a federally chartered Veterans' Service Organization.  It shall also include the New Jersey SOS Veterans Stakeholders Group and the New Jersey Catholic Charities Diocese.

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