New Jersey-2020-A1319-Introduced

An Act establishing the Behavioral Mental Health Advisory Board and supplementing Chapter 9A of Title 30 of the Revised Statutes.

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

1. There is established in the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in the Department of Human Services the Behavioral Mental Health Advisory Board.

a. The purpose of the board shall be to review all aspects of behavioral mental health services in New Jersey and make recommendations for legislation or other such action as it deems appropriate with regard to improving, expanding, and facilitating the provision of behavioral mental health services to the citizens of this State, including, but not limited to: coordinating services among providers; facilitating access to comprehensive behavioral mental health care and treatment; maximizing the effective use of available funding; establishing new programs or revising existing programs; promoting enhanced communication and information exchanges; and any other matters the advisory board deems necessary and appropriate.

b. The board shall consist of 17 members as follows:

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

(2) Four public members to be appointed by the Governor, as follows:

one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies; one person upon the recommendation of the National Alliance on Mental Illness New Jersey; one person upon the recommendation of the Mental Health Association in New Jersey; and one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Primary Care Association;

(3) Five public members to be appointed by the President of the Senate, as follows: one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians; one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Association of Health Plans; one psychiatrist upon the recommendation of the Medical Society of New Jersey; one health care provider, upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Office of the Drug Policy Alliance, who specializes in substance abuse treatment; and one person upon the recommendation of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence New Jersey; and

(4) Five public members to be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, as follows: one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Hospital Association; one person upon the recommendation of the Advocates for Children of New Jersey; one health care provider, upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, who specializes in treating children and adolescents; one health care provider, upon the recommendation of the Health Care Association of New Jersey, who specializes in treating geriatric patients; and one person upon the recommendation of Parent to Parent New Jersey.

c. Vacancies in the membership of the board shall be filled in the same manner provided for the original appointments.

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

e. 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 board.

f. The board 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.

g. The Department of Human Services shall provide staff support to the board.

2. No later than one year following the effective date of this act, and annually thereafter, the board shall report to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), its findings and recommendations with regard to improving the provision of behavioral mental health services in New Jersey. The second report submitted pursuant to this section, and each annual report thereafter, shall include a description and analysis of any actions taken on recommendations included in the prior year's report.

3. The Commissioner of Human Services may adopt, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations necessary for the implementation of this act.

4. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill establishes the Behavioral Mental Health Advisory Board in the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in the Department of Human Services (DHS). The purpose of the board will be to review all aspects of behavioral mental health services in New Jersey and make recommendations for legislation or other such action as it deems appropriate with regard to improving, expanding, and facilitating the provision of behavioral mental health services to the citizens of this State, including, but not limited to: coordinating services among providers; facilitating access to comprehensive behavioral mental health care and treatment; maximizing the effective use of available funding; establishing new programs or revising existing programs; promoting enhanced communication and information exchanges; and any other matters the advisory board deems necessary and appropriate.

The board will consist of 17 members: the Commissioners of Health, Human Services, and Children and Families, or their designees, who would serve ex officio; and 14 public members, with four members to be appointed by the Governor, and five members each to be appointed by the Senate President and the Speaker of the General Assembly.

The members to be appointed by the Governor would include: one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies; one person upon the recommendation of the National Alliance on Mental Illness New Jersey; one person upon the recommendation of the Mental Health Association in New Jersey; and one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Primary Care Association.

The members to be appointed by the President of the Senate would include: one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians; one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Association of Health Plans; one psychiatrist upon the recommendation of the Medical Society of New Jersey; one health care provider, upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Office of the Drug Policy Alliance, who specializes in substance abuse treatment; and one person upon the recommendation of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence New Jersey. The members to be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly would include: one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Hospital Association; one person upon the recommendation of the Advocates for Children of New Jersey; one health care provider, upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, who specializes in treating children and adolescents; one health care provider, upon the recommendation of the Health Care Association of New Jersey, who specializes in treating geriatric patients; and one person upon the recommendation of Parent to Parent New Jersey.

Vacancies in the membership will be filled in the same manner provided for the original appointments. The board will organize as soon as practicable following appointments, and will select a chairperson and vice-chairperson from among the members. The chairperson will appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the board.

The public members will serve without compensation, but will be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties and within the limits of funds available to the board, and the board will 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. DHS will provide staff support to the board.

The board also will submit an annual report to the Governor and to the Legislature with its findings and its recommendations with regard to improving the provision of behavioral mental health services in New Jersey. The second report submitted, and each report thereafter, will include a description and analysis of any actions taken on recommendations included in the prior year's report.