Bill Text: NJ S2586 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes toll free helpline for first responders and health care workers experiencing mental health issues related to COVID-19 pandemic.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-02-08 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee [S2586 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-S2586-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator ANTHONY M. BUCCO
District 25 (Morris and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes toll free helpline for first responders and health care workers experiencing mental health issues related to COVID-19 pandemic.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning mental health issues related to the coronavirus disease 2019 and supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in the Department of Human Services shall establish a toll free helpline for first responders and health care workers experiencing mental health issues due to their work during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, which mental health issues may include, but shall not limited to, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and substance use disorder. In developing the helpline, the division shall be authorized to utilize or expand existing mental health resources available through the division, and shall be further authorized to consult or contract with an appropriate third party entity.
b. The helpline shall be accessible 24 hours a day, seven days per week and shall respond to calls from first responders, health care workers, and their families. The operators of the helpline shall seek to identify first responders, health care workers, and members of their families who should be referred to further peer support and counseling services and provide appropriate referrals.
c. To the greatest extent possible, the operators of the help line shall be: (1) familiar with the mental health issues commonly experienced by first responders, health care workers, and their families, including post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and substance use disorder, as well as the aspects of those mental health issues that are unique to first responders, health care workers, and their families; or (2) trained to provide counseling services involving marriage and family life, substance use disorder, personal stress management, and other emotional or psychological disorders or conditions which may be likely to adversely affect the personal and service-related well-being of first responders, health care workers, and their families.
d. The Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in the Department of Human Services shall ensure the names and identities of the persons calling, the information discussed, and any referrals for further peer support or counseling are kept confidential; provided, however, the division may establish guidelines providing for the tracking of any person who exhibits a severe emotional or psychological disorder or condition which the operator handling the call reasonably believes might result in harm to the first responder, health care worker, or any other person.
2. The Commissioner of Human Services shall adopt rules and regulations, in accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), as are necessary to effectuate the provisions of this act.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes a toll free helpline for first responders, health care workers, and other frontline workers experiencing mental health issues related to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, including, but not limited to, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and substance use disorder.
Under the bill, the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) in the Department of Human Services will establish the helpline. The DMHAS will be authorized to utilize or expand existing mental health resources available through the DMHAS, as well as to consult or contract with an appropriate third party entity. The helpline is to be accessible 24 hours a day, seven days per week and is to respond to calls from first responders, health care workers, and their families. The operators of the helpline are to seek to identify callers who should be referred to further peer support and counseling services and provide appropriate referrals.
To the greatest extent possible, the operators of the help line are to be: (1) familiar with mental health issues commonly experienced by first responders health care workers, and their families, including, but not limited to, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and substance use disorder, as well as the aspects of those mental health issues that are unique to first responders, health care workers, and their families; or (2) trained to provide counseling services involving marriage and family life, substance use disorder, personal stress management, and other emotional or psychological disorders or conditions which may be likely to adversely affect the personal and service-related well-being of first responders, health care workers, and their families.
The bill provides that the DMHAS is to ensure that the names and identities of the persons calling, the information discussed, and any referrals for further peer support or counseling are kept confidential; except that the DMHAS will have the authority to establish guidelines providing for the tracking of any person who exhibits a severe emotional or psychological disorder or condition which the operator handling the call reasonably believes might result in harm to the first responder, health care worker, or any other person.
