Bill Text: NJ A4275 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes Office of Ombudsman for Mental Health and Addiction Services.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-02-13 - Reported and Referred to Assembly Appropriations Committee [A4275 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2022-A4275-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT
District 31 (Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes Office of Ombudsman for Mental Health and Addiction Services.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing the Office of the Ombudsman for Mental Health and Addiction Services 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, in but not of the Department of the Treasury, the Office of the Ombudsman for Mental Health and Addiction Services. For the purpose of complying with the provisions of Article V, Section IV, paragraph 1 of the New Jersey Constitution, the Office of the Ombudsman for Mental Health and Addiction Services is hereby allocated within the Department of the Treasury, but notwithstanding this allocation, the office shall be independent of any supervision or control by the department or any board or officer thereof, or any other cabinet-level department, board, or officer thereof. The purpose of the ombudsman shall be support individuals with mental illness and addiction.
b. The Governor shall appoint an Ombudsman for Mental Health and Addiction Services, who shall be qualified by training and experience to perform the duties of the office. The ombudsman shall be a person of recognized judgment, integrity, and objectivity, and shall be skilled in communication, conflict resolution, and professionalism.
c. The ombudsman shall organize and direct the work of the office, including the work of professional and clerical staff, as may be necessary to carry out the ombudsman's duties.
2. a. The duties of the Ombudsman Mental Health and Addiction Services shall include, but shall not be limited to:
(1) helping individuals with mental illness and addiction find effective treatment facilities and programs, including substance use disorder recovery services, health care services, mental health services, medication-assisted treatment services, and other substance use disorder treatment services;
(2) ensuring that individuals with mental illness and addiction, including patients and residents within mental health facilities and programs, are receiving proper care and treatment;
(3) providing educational programs, confidential drug counseling, and vocational guidance and job placement for individuals with mental illness and addiction;
(4) educating individuals about the harm caused by substance use disorders with respect to individuals, families, and society; and
(5) creating public information programs to educate individuals with mental illness and addiction of the duties of and resources provided by the ombudsman.
b. The ombudsman shall treat communications received in the course of the ombudsman's duties, including personally identifiable information regarding individuals with mental illness and addiction or others from whom information is acquired, as confidential, except when disclosure is necessary to enable the ombudsman to perform the duties of the office, and consent for the disclosure is obtained. Upon the receipt of information that by law is confidential or privileged, the ombudsman shall maintain the confidentiality of the information, and shall not disclose or disseminate the information, except as provided by applicable State or federal law.
3. a. The Ombudsman for Mental Health and Addiction Services shall annually issue a written report to the Commissioner of Human Services. The report shall include a summary of the services the ombudsman provided during the year, and any specific recommendations the ombudsman deems appropriate and necessary concerning the State's provision of services and support to individuals with mental illness and addiction.
b. The ombudsman also shall issue the report prepared pursuant to subsection a. of this section to the Governor, and pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1) to the Legislature.
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes the Office of the Ombudsman for Mental Health and Addiction Services, in but not of the Department of the Treasury, to support individuals with mental illness and addiction. Under the bill, the Governor is to appoint an Ombudsman for Mental Health and Addiction Services, who is to be qualified by training and experience to perform the duties of the office. The ombudsman is to be a person of recognized judgment, integrity, and objectivity, and is to be skilled in communication, conflict resolution, and professionalism.
The duties of the Ombudsman Mental Health and Addiction Services are to include, but not be limited to, the following: (1) helping individuals with mental illness and addiction find effective treatment facilities and programs, including substance use disorder recovery services, health care services, mental health services, medication-assisted drug treatment services, and other substance use disorder treatment services; (2) ensuring that individuals with mental illness and addiction, including patients and residents within mental health facilities and programs, are receiving proper care and treatment; (3) providing educational programs; confidential drug counseling; and vocational guidance and job placement for individuals with mental illness and addiction; (4) educating individuals about the harm caused by substance use disorder with respect to individuals, families, and society; and (5) creating public information programs to educate individuals with mental illness and addiction of the duties of and resources provided by the ombudsman.
The bill provides that the Ombudsman for Mental Health and Addiction Services is to annually issue a written report to the Commissioner of Human Services, the Governor, and the Legislature. The report is to include a summary of the services the ombudsman provided during the year, and any specific recommendations the ombudsman deems appropriate and necessary concerning the State's provision of services and support to individuals with mental illness and addiction.
