Bill Text: NJ A3923 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires Attorney General to establish mental health screening program for police officers involved in traumatic event.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-12-04 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee [A3923 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-A3923-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman SHAVONDA E. SUMTER
District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Requires Attorney General to establish mental health screening program for police officers involved in traumatic event.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning mental health screenings for police officers and supplementing chapter 17B of Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. As used in this act:
"Director" means the Director of the Division of Mental Health Services in the Department of Human Services.
"Law enforcement officer" means a law enforcement officer as defined in section 1 of P.L.1977, c.437 (C.40A:14-152.2).
"Mental health professional" means a psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, or other person who is trained in conducting psychological assessment, is employed by an independent screening service, and possesses the license, academic training, or experience as required by regulations adopted by the Attorney General pursuant to section 2 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
"Mental health screening" means a mandatory assessment conducted by a mental health professional to determine what mental health services, if any, are appropriate for a law enforcement officer who has been involved in a traumatic event and where those services may be most appropriately provided.
"Traumatic event" means an event occurring in, and directly related to, the performance of a law enforcement officer's duties which may produce personal or job related depression, anxiety, stress, or other psychological or emotional tension, trauma, pressure, or disorder. A "traumatic event" may include, but not be limited to, an event involving the firing of a weapon; significant or serious bodily injury; death; a terroristic act; a hostage situation; or personal injury.
b. The Attorney General, in consultation with the director, shall establish a mental health screening program which shall be implemented by each law enforcement agency in the State. Under the program, each law enforcement officer who is involved in, or witnesses, a traumatic event shall receive a mental health screening as soon as reasonably practicable after the traumatic event occurs.
c. The mental health professional who conducts the mental health screening shall be required to submit a report to the chief law enforcement officer of the agency that appointed the law enforcement officer. The report shall recommend whether the law enforcement officer should seek further mental health treatment and if the officer is capable of performing law enforcement duties. Nothing in the report shall be used as the basis for demoting, dismissing, or disciplining the law enforcement officer or reducing or removing any benefit provided by the law enforcement agency.
2. The Attorney General, pursuant to the provisions of the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), shall promulgate regulations to effectuate the provisions of this act. The regulations shall include procedures to be followed by each chief law enforcement officer to ensure that information regarding a law enforcement officer's mental heath screening report is kept in strict confidence and that no adverse employment actions are taken against the officer.
3. This act shall take effect on the first day of the sixth month following enactment, but the Attorney General may take any anticipatory administrative action in advance thereof as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Attorney General, in consultation with the Director of the Division of Mental Health Services, to establish a mental health screening program to be implemented by every law enforcement agency in the State. Under the program, each law enforcement officer who is involved in, or witnesses, a traumatic event is to receive a mandatory mental health screening conducted by a mental health professional.
A mental health professional who conducts the screening is required to submit a report to the chief law enforcement officer of the agency that appointed the law enforcement officer. The report is to recommend whether an officer should seek further mental health treatment and is capable of performing law enforcement duties. As part of the regulations establishing the program, the Attorney General is to include a procedure to be followed by each chief law enforcement officer to ensure that information regarding a law enforcement officer's mental heath screening report is kept in strict confidence and that no unnecessary adverse employment actions are taken against the officer.
A "mental health professional" is defined under the bill as a psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, or other individual trained in conducting psychological assessment, is employed by an independent screening service, and possesses the license, academic training, or experience as required by the regulations adopted by the Attorney General. The bill defines "traumatic event" as an event occurring in, and directly related to, the performance of a law enforcement officer's duties which may produce personal or job-related depression, anxiety, stress or other psychological or emotional tensions, traumas, pressures, or disorders. A traumatic event may include an event involving the firing of a weapon; significant or serious bodily injury; death; a terroristic act; a hostage situation; or personal injury.
