Bill Text: NJ A149 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes "New Jersey Fire and EMS Crisis Intervention Services" telephone hotline.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 2-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-14 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee [A149 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-A149-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
219th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2020 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman PARKER SPACE
District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes "New Jersey Fire and EMS Crisis Intervention Services" telephone hotline.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act establishing a toll-free "New Jersey Fire and EMS Crisis Intervention Services" telephone hotline and supplementing chapter 27D of Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. As used in this act:
"Division" means the Division of Fire Safety in the Department of Community Affairs.
"University" means Rutgers University Behavioral Health Careat Rutgers, The State University.
2. a. The division, in conjunction with the university, shall establish and maintain, on a 24-hour daily basis, a toll-free "New Jersey Fire and EMS Crisis Intervention Services" telephone hotline. The hotline shall receive and respond to calls from fire and emergency services personnel who have been involved in any event or incident which has produced personal or job-related depression, anxiety, stress, or other psychological or emotional tension, trauma, or disorder for the fire or emergency services personnel. The operators of the hotline shall identify those callers who should be referred to further debriefing and counseling services and provide referrals.
b. The operators of the hotline shall be trained by the division and the university, and, to the greatest extent possible, shall be persons who by experience or education are: (1) familiar with post trauma disorders and the emotional and psychological tensions, depressions, and anxieties unique to fire and emergency services personnel; or (2) trained to provide counseling services involving marriage and family life, substance abuse, personal stress management, and other emotional or psychological disorders or conditions which may be likely to adversely affect the personal and professional well-being of New Jersey's fire and emergency services personnel.
c. To ensure the integrity of the telephone hotline and to encourage fire and emergency services personnel to utilize it, the division and the university shall provide for the confidentiality of the names of the fire and emergency services personnel calling, the information discussed by a caller and operator, and any referrals for further debriefing or counseling. However, the division, after consultation with the university, may, by rule and regulation, establish guidelines for tracking any fire or emergency services caller who exhibits a severe emotional or psychological disorder or condition which the operator handling the call reasonably believes might result in harm to that caller or others.
3. The division, after consultation with the university, shall prepare a list of appropriately licensed or certified psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers; appropriately trained and qualified counselors; and experienced former fire and emergency services personnel who are willing to accept referrals and participate in the debriefing and counseling afforded fire and emergency services personnel under this act.
4. In establishing the hotline pursuant to the provisions of section 2 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), the division and university shall consult with a representative from the New Jersey Career Fire Chiefs Association; New Jersey Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Association; Professional Firefighters Association of New Jersey; New Jersey Hospital Association; New Jersey Association of Paramedic Programs; EMS Council of New Jersey; New Jersey State Fire Chiefs Association; any other exclusive bargaining representative for a New Jersey fire department or force, or emergency services agency or provider; and any others that the division deems appropriate.
5. This act shall take effect on the first day of the fifth month next following the date of enactment, but the Director of the Division of Fire Safety in the Department of Community Affairs may take any anticipatory administrative action in advance as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill directs the Division of Fire Safety in the Department of Community Affairs, in conjunction with Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care, to establish a 24-hour, toll-free "New Jersey Fire and EMS Crisis Intervention Services" telephone hotline. The division and university are to consult with representatives of certain fire and emergency services organizations when establishing the hotline.
The hotline would be available to fire and emergency services personnel experiencing personal or job-related depression, anxiety, stress, or other psychological or emotional tension, trauma, pressure, or disorder.
When necessary and appropriate, hotline operators would refer callers to further debriefing and counseling services. The division, after consultation with the university, is to establish guidelines for tracking any fire or emergency services caller exhibiting a severe emotional or psychological disorder or condition that may result in harm to the caller or others.
The division and the university are to train the hotline operators. To the greatest extent possible, these operators are to be: (1) familiar with post trauma disorders and the emotional and psychological tensions, depressions, and anxieties unique to fire and emergency services personnel; or (2) trained and able to provide counseling services involving marriage and family life, substance abuse, personal stress management, and other emotional or psychological disorders or conditions that may adversely affect the personal and professional well-being of New Jersey's fire and emergency services personnel.
The bill also directs the division, after consultation with the university, to prepare a list of licensed or certified psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers; qualified counselors; and experienced former fire and emergency services personnel who are willing to accept referrals and provide debriefing and counseling services.
