Bill Text: NJ A3453 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Establishes brain injury screening and education program in DCF.*
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2014-12-01 - Received in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee [A3453 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-A3453-Amended.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman VINCENT PRIETO
District 32 (Bergen and Hudson)
Assemblywoman NANCY J. PINKIN
District 18 (Middlesex)
Assemblywoman GABRIELA M. MOSQUERA
District 4 (Camden and Gloucester)
Assemblyman DANIEL R. BENSON
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Johnson
SYNOPSIS
Establishes brain injury screening and education program in DCF.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Assembly Women and Children Committee on October 9, 2014, with amendments.
An Act concerning 1[traumatic]1 brain injury in children and young adults and supplementing Title 30 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. There is established a 1[traumatic]1 brain injury screening and education program in the Department of Children and Families. It shall be the objective of the program 1[shall]1 to:
(1) identify children and young adults with 1[traumatic]1 brain injury, ages five to 1[16] 211, who are involved, or who may be at risk of involvement, with the State's mental health or juvenile justice systems; and
(2) provide education to, and raise awareness and promote outreach among, parents and guardians, educators, judges, law enforcement officials, health care providers, and employees of State psychiatric facilities, State juvenile facilities, county psychiatric hospitals, county juvenile detention facilities, county probation departments, children's crisis intervention services units, 1[and]1 screening services1, and the divisions and offices of the Department of Children and Families including, but not limited to, the Divisions of Child Protection and Permanency, Children's System of Care, and Family and Community Partnerships, and the Office of Adolescent Services1 about 1[traumatic]1 brain injury in children and young adults and the availability of treatment services and rehabilitative programs geared to the specific needs of such children and young adults.
b. For purposes of the program, the Commissioner of Children and Families, in consultation with the New Jersey Advisory Council on Traumatic Brain Injury, shall 1[develop and]1 implement:
(1) (a) a 1[standardized] reliable and validated1 screening tool 1and structured interviews, conducted by persons with foundational knowledge of brain injury, to assess prior history of brain injury; and
(b) training and consultancy1 for educators, judges, law enforcement officials, health care providers, and employees of State psychiatric facilities State juvenile facilities, county psychiatric hospitals, county juvenile detention facilities, county probation departments, children's crisis intervention services units, 1[and]1 screening services1, and the divisions and offices of the Department of Children and Families to gain foundational knowledge of brain injury in order1 to identify, evaluate, and provide appropriate treatment services and rehabilitative programs, as applicable, to children and young adults with 1[traumatic]1 brain injury in order to prevent admissions to psychiatric hospitals and reduce the recidivism rates of juveniles adjudicated delinquent;
(2) measures to increase awareness of, and educate parents and guardians, educators, judges, law enforcement officials, health care and mental health care providers, and employees of State psychiatric facilities1,1 State juvenile facilities, county psychiatric hospitals, county juvenile detention facilities, county probation departments, children's crisis intervention services units, 1[and]1 screening services1, and the divisions and offices of the Department of Children and Families1 on, 1[traumatic]1 brain injury in children and young adults, which shall include, at a minimum, information on the links between 1[traumatic]1 brain injury, juvenile delinquency, and the early onset of psychiatric diagnoses, the value of early detection, and the treatment services and rehabilitative programs available to children and young adults with 1[traumatic]1 brain injury; 1[and]1
(3) outreach strategies to disseminate information about 1[traumatic]1 brain injury and the treatment services and rehabilitative programs available to children and young adults with 1[traumatic]1 brain injury through a variety of entities, including, but not limited to, health care facilities, State psychiatric facilities, State juvenile facilities, county psychiatric hospitals, county juvenile detention facilities, county probation departments, local health departments1, the Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey,1 and clinics, schools, libraries, programs that provide mental health services to children, other community-based organizations providing services to children, and the Internet1; and
(4) guidelines for the completion of a more detailed assessment of children and young adults with brain injury, and for the information and resources made available to parents and guardians, following a positive screening of children and young adults for a prior history of brain injury1.
c. The Commissioner of Children and Families shall apply for and accept any grant of money from the federal government, private foundations, or other sources, which may be available for programs for children and young adults with 1[traumatic]1 brain injury 1as determined by the commissioner to be appropriate for the State's system of programs and services for children and young adults with brain injury1.
1[3.] 2.1 The Commissioner of Children and Families, in consultation with the New Jersey Traumatic Brain Injury Advisory Council, shall annually report to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c. 164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature, 1[no later than 12 months after the effective date of this act,]1 on the activities of the program and the program's effectiveness in meeting its objectives. 1The first report shall be provided no later than 12 months after the effective date of this act.1
1[4.] 3.1 Subject to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), the Commissioner of Children and Families shall adopt rules and regulations to effectuate the purposes
of this act.
1[5.] 4.1 This act shall take effect immediately.
