Bill Text: NJ A3814 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes Behavioral Health Services Task Force.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-03-16 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Human Services Committee [A3814 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-A3814-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman GARY S. SCHAER
District 36 (Bergen and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes Behavioral Health Services Task Force.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing a task force to study and make recommendations regarding the provision of behavioral health care services.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. There is established in the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in the Department of Health the Behavioral Health Services Task Force.
b. The purpose of the task force shall be to review and analyze the structure and delivery of behavioral 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 health services to the citizens of this State. Behavioral health services reviewed and analyzed by the task force shall include services both for individuals with mental health concerns and for individuals with substance use disorders.
c. The task force shall consist of 26 members who represent the geographic diversity of New Jersey, as follows:
(1) the Commissioners of Health, Human Services, and Children and Families, or their designees, who shall serve ex officio;
(2) Seven 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; one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Hospital Association who represents an acute care entity; one person upon the recommendation of the Society of Psychiatric Advanced Practice Nurses of the New Jersey State Nurses Association; one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association; and one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Primary Care Association;
(3) Eight 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 representing a health insurance carrier and one person representing a Medicaid managed care organization, both upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Association of Health Plans; one psychiatrist upon the recommendation of the Medical Society of New Jersey; one representative of an entity which is designated by the State to provide screening services, as defined in section 2 of P.L.1987, c.116 (C.30:4-27.2); one representative of an organization which works with individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities; one representative of an organization which works with individuals who have substance use disorder; and one representative of an entity which provides early intervention support services through a contract with the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services; and
(4) Eight public members to be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, as follows: one representative of Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care; one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Hospital Association; one representative of the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers; one person upon the recommendation of the Advocates for Children of New Jersey; one representative of an outpatient treatment provider; one representative of an entity that provides community social services; one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons; and 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.
d. Vacancies in the membership of the task force shall be filled in the same manner provided for the original appointments.
e. 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. The chairperson shall appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the task force.
f. 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.
g. 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 made available to it for its purposes.
h. The Department of Health shall provide staff support to the task force.
2. a. The duties of the Behavioral Health Services Task Force, established by section 1 of this act, shall include, but not be limited to:
(1) conducting a survey of the current behavioral health care system on a county by county basis for acute, short-term, and long-term care;
(2) identifying gaps in the current behavioral health care system for the delivery of care for children, adolescents, and adults on a county by county basis for acute, short-term, and long-term care; and
(3) making recommendations to:
(a) ensure access to quality emergency behavioral health care in a timely manner;
(b) coordinate services among providers;
(c) facilitate access to comprehensive behavioral health care and treatment;
(d) maximize the effective use of available funding;
(e) establish new programs or revise existing programs;
(f) promote enhanced communication and information exchanges; and
(g) any other matters the task force deems necessary and appropriate.
b. The task force may contract with the Rutgers Center for State Health Policy, or a similar organization, to conduct the survey of the current behavioral health care system and to conduct any other analysis or research the task force anticipates will contribute to the ability of the task force to fulfill the duties required of it pursuant to this section.
c. The task force may solicit and receive grants and other funds that are made available for the task force's purposes by any governmental, public, not-for-profit, or for-profit agency, including funds that are made available under any federal or State law, regulations, or program.
d. No later than 18 months following the effective date of this act, the task force 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, including actionable steps which can be taken in regard to the provision of behavioral health services in New Jersey. The task force shall terminate upon submission of the report.
3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire upon submission of the task force's report required to be prepared pursuant to section 2 of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes the Behavioral Health Task Force in the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in the Department of Health (DOH). The purpose of the task force will be to review all aspects of behavioral 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 health services to the citizens of this State. Behavioral health services reviewed and analyzed by the task force are to include services both for individuals with mental health concerns and for individuals with substance use disorders.
The task force will consist of 26 members, including: the Commissioners of Health, Human Services, and Children and Families, or their designees, who would serve ex officio; and 23 public members, with seven members to be appointed by the Governor, and eight members each to be appointed by the Senate President and the Speaker of the General Assembly. The members are to represent the geographic diversity of New Jersey. The DOH will be required to provide staff support to the task force.
The members 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; one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Hospital Association who represents an acute care entity; one person upon the recommendation of the Society of Psychiatric Advanced Practice Nurses of the New Jersey State Nurses Association; one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association; and one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Primary Care Association.
The members appointed by the Senate President would include: one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians; one person representing a health insurance carrier and one person representing a Medicaid managed care organization, both upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Association of Health Plans; one psychiatrist upon the recommendation of the Medical Society of New Jersey; one representative of an entity which is designated by the State to provide screening services; one representative of an organization which works with individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities; one representative of an organization which works with individuals who have a substance use disorder; and one representative of an entity which provides early intervention support services in the State.
The members to be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly would include: one representative of Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care; one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Hospital Association; one representative of the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers; one person upon the recommendation of the Advocates for Children of New Jersey; one representative of a outpatient treatment provider; one representative of an entity that provides community social services; one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons; and 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.
The task force is to organize and issue a report to the Legislature and the Governor 18 months after the bill's effective date. After the submission of the report, the task force will expire.
The task force is permitted to solicit and receive grants and other funds that are made available for the task force's purposes from public and private entities. The task force may contract with a third party, such as the Rutgers Center for State Health Policy, to meet the objectives of the task force as they are delineated in the bill.
The goals of the task force include, but are not limited to, conducting a survey of the current behavioral health care system on a county by county basis for acute, short-term, and long-term care; identifying gaps in the current behavioral health care system for the delivery of care for children, adolescents, and adults on a county by county basis for acute, short-term, and long-term care; and making recommendations to: ensure access to quality emergency behavioral health care in a timely manner; coordinate services among providers; facilitate access to comprehensive behavioral health care and treatment; maximize the effective use of available funding; establish new programs or revise existing programs; promote enhanced communication and information exchanges; and any other matters the task force deems necessary and appropriate.
