New Jersey-2010-A581-Introduced

An Act concerning services for persons with mental illness and supplementing Title 30 of the Revised Statutes.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. The Commissioners of Human Services and Children and Families shall:

a. establish a mechanism through which an inventory of all county-based public and private inpatient, outpatient, and residential behavioral health services by service area served, if applicable, including the number of treatment beds or treatment capacity of the service, is made available to the public;

b. establish and implement a methodology, based on nationally recognized criteria, to quantify the usage of and need for inpatient, outpatient, and residential behavioral health services throughout the State, taking into account projected patient care level needs;

c. based on the inventories, annually assess whether sufficient inpatient, outpatient, and residential behavioral health services are available in each service area of the State in order to ensure timely access to appropriate behavioral health services for persons who are voluntarily admitted or involuntarily committed to inpatient facilities for persons with mental illness in the State, and for persons who need behavioral health services provided by outpatient and community-based programs that support the wellness and recovery for these persons;

d. annually identify the funding for existing mental health programs;

e. consult with the Community Mental Health Citizens Advisory Board and the Mental Health Planning Council, the Divisions of Developmental Disabilities and Addiction Services in the Department of Human Services, the Department of Corrections, the Department of Health and Senior Services, and family consumer and other mental health constituent groups, to review the inventories and make recommendations to the Departments of Human Services and Children and Families regarding overall mental health services development and resource needs;

f. consult with the New Jersey Hospital Association, the Hospital Alliance of New Jersey, and the New Jersey Council of Teaching Hospitals in carrying out the purposes of this act. The commissioners shall also seek input from Statewide organizations that advocate for persons with mental illness and their families; and

g. annually report on departmental activities in accordance with this act to the Governor and to the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee and the Assembly Human Services Committee, or their successor committees. The first report shall be provided no later than 18 months after the effective date of this act.

2. This act shall take effect on the 60th day following enactment.

STATEMENT

This bill requires the Commissioners of Human Services and Families and Children to:

· establish a mechanism through which an inventory of all county-based public and private inpatient, outpatient, and residential behavioral health services, by service area served, if applicable, including the number of treatment beds or treatment capacity of the service, is made available to the public;

· establish and implement a methodology, based on nationally recognized criteria, to quantify the usage of and need for inpatient, outpatient, and residential behavioral health services throughout the State, taking into account projected patient care level needs;

· based on the inventories, annually assess whether sufficient inpatient, outpatient, and residential behavioral health services are available in each service area of the State in order to ensure timely access to appropriate behavioral health services for persons who are voluntarily admitted or involuntarily committed to inpatient facilities for persons with mental illness in the State, and for persons who need behavioral health services provided by outpatient and community-based programs that support the wellness and recovery for these persons;

· annually identify the funding for existing mental health programs;

· consult with the Community Mental Health Citizens Advisory Board and the Mental Health Planning Council, the Divisions of Developmental Disabilities and Addiction Services in the Department of Human Services (DHS), the Department of Corrections, the Department of Health and Senior Services, and family consumer and other mental health constituent groups, to review the inventories and make recommendations to the Departments of Human Services and Children and Families regarding overall mental health service development and resource needs;

· consult with the New Jersey Hospital Association, the Hospital Alliance of New Jersey, and the New Jersey Council of Teaching Hospitals in carrying out the purposes of this bill. The commissioners shall also seek input from Statewide organizations that advocate for persons with mental illness and their families; and

· annually report on departmental activities in accordance with this bill to the Governor and to the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee and the Assembly Human Services Committee, or their successor committees. The first report shall be provided no later than 18 months after the effective date of this bill.

The bill takes effect on the 60th day following enactment.