New Jersey-2016-S1526-Introduced

An Act establishing the New Jersey Task Force on Coordination Among Nonprofit Social Service Organizations.

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

1. There is established the New Jersey Task Force on Coordination Among Nonprofit Social Service Organizations.

The purpose of the task force shall be to develop recommendations, through collaboration among representatives of State government and social service organizations in the State, to support efforts to effectively coordinate and streamline services provided by social service organizations in the State by:

a. promoting shared services to reduce administrative costs;

b. forming alliances among social service organizations to eliminate duplication of services; and

c. establishing procedures for the uniform reporting of expenditures by social service organizations to policy makers and the public.

2. a. The task force shall consist of 17 members, as follows:

(1) the Commissioners of Children and Families, Community Affairs, Health, and Human Services, or their designees, who shall serve ex officio;

(2) five public members appointed by the Governor as follows: one representative each from the Center for Non-Profit Corporations; the Area Agencies on Aging; a Statewide social service organization offering women's support services; a Statewide social service organization providing services to persons with adult onset disabilities; and a Statewide social service organization offering emergency food and nutrition services;

(3) three public members appointed by the President of the Senate as follows: one representative each from the National Alliance on Mental Illness of New Jersey; the New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence; and a Statewide social service organization offering substance abuse treatment and prevention services;

(4) three public members appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly as follows: one representative each from The Arc of New Jersey; the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of New Jersey; and a Statewide organization providing environmental advocacy services; and

(5) two public members as follows: one appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate who is a representative of a Statewide social service organization providing services to the homeless; and one appointed by the Minority Leader of the General Assembly who is a representative from a Statewide organization advocating for the arts.

Vacancies in the membership of the task force shall be filled in the same manner provided for the original appointments.

b. The task force shall organize as soon as practicable following the appointment of its members and shall select a chairperson and vice-chairperson from among the members of the task force. The task force shall appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the task force.

c. The public members shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties and within the limits of funds available to the task force.

d. The task force shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of any State, county, or municipal department, board, bureau, commission, or agency as it may require and as may be available to it for its purposes.

e. The task force may meet and hold hearings at the places it designates during the sessions or recesses of the Legislature.

f. The School of Social Work of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey shall provide professional and clerical staff services to the task force.

3. The task force shall report to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature, no later than 12 months after the initial meeting of the task force, on its findings and recommendations concerning efforts to effectively coordinate and streamline services provided by social service organizations in the State.

4. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire upon the issuance of the task force report.

STATEMENT

This bill establishes the New Jersey Task Force on Coordination Among Nonprofit Social Service Organizations.

The purpose of the task force is to develop recommendations, through collaboration among representatives of State government and social service organizations in the State, to support efforts to effectively coordinate and streamline services provided by social service organizations in the State by:

● promoting shared services to reduce administrative costs;

● forming alliances among social service organizations to eliminate duplication of services; and

● establishing procedures for the uniform reporting of expenditures by social service organizations to policy makers and the public.

Under the provisions of the bill, the task force shall consist of 17 members as follows:

● the Commissioners of Children and Families, Community Affairs, Health, and Human Services, or their designees, as ex officio members; and

● 13 public members as follows:

-- five of whom shall be appointed by the Governor and include one representative each from the Center for Non-Profit Corporations, the Area Agencies on Aging, a Statewide social service organization offering women's support services, a Statewide social service organization providing services to people with adult onset disabilities; and a Statewide social service organization offering emergency food and nutrition services;

-- three of whom shall be appointed by the President of the Senate and include one representative each from the National Alliance on Mental Illness of New Jersey, the New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence, and a Statewide social service organization offering substance abuse treatment and prevention services;

-- three of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and include one representative each from The Arc of New Jersey, the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of New Jersey, and a Statewide organization providing environmental advocacy services;

-- one appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate who is a representative from a Statewide social service organization providing services to the homeless; and

-- one appointed by the Minority Leader of the General Assembly who is a representative from a Statewide organization advocating for the arts.

Lastly, the task force shall report to the Governor and the Legislature no later than 12 months after the initial meeting on its findings and recommendations concerning efforts to effectively coordinate and streamline services provided by social service organizations in the State. The task force shall dissolve upon the issuance of its report.