Bill Text: NJ SCR142 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Urges federal Department of Veterans Affairs to support recommendations of New Jersey Veterans Hospital Task Force.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-01-09 - Substituted by ACR177 (1R) [SCR142 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2012-SCR142-Amended.html

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[First Reprint]

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 142

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

215th LEGISLATURE

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 21, 2013

 

 

Sponsored by:

Senator  JEFF VAN DREW

District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)

Senator  CHRISTOPHER J. CONNORS

District 9 (Atlantic, Burlington and Ocean)

 

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Senators A.R.Bucco and Allen

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Urges federal Department of Veterans Affairs to support recommendations of New Jersey Veterans Hospital Task Force.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As reported by the Senate Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee on May 30, 2013, with amendments.

 

A Concurrent Resolution urging the federal Department of Veterans Affairs to support the recommendations of the New Jersey Veterans Hospital Task Force.

 

Whereas, The New Jersey Veterans Hospital Task Force was created pursuant to P.L.2011, c.21, which was signed into law by Governor Chris Christie on February 3, 2011; and

Whereas, The mission of the task force was to study and evaluate, and make recommendations related to the construction and operation of a veterans' health care facility in southern New Jersey; and

Whereas, The task force was comprised of 18 members, including the Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, the Commissioner of the Department of Health and Senior Services, two members of the New Jersey Senate, two members of the New Jersey General Assembly, and 12 members of the public who were prominent veterans leaders from across the State or experts in healthcare issues effecting veterans; and

Whereas, During its meetings, the members of the task force received testimony from veterans about the significant challenges faced by veterans seeking healthcare and the at-times demeaning process they had to go through to meet their healthcare needs, including traveling considerable distances from their homes in southern New Jersey, in some cases resulting in trips of more than 100 miles and five hours travel time, and then spending additional time waiting for a meeting with a doctor; and

Whereas, The task force has concluded that there is a significant need for more healthcare opportunities for veterans living in southern New Jersey who must travel to veterans clinics in East Orange, New Jersey, Wilmington, Delaware or Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to have their healthcare needs addressed; and

Whereas, This situation is unfair to these New Jersey veterans who have served their country with distinction and deserve to have closer, more accessible healthcare as they grow older and travel becomes more difficult; and

Whereas, The task force has formulated 10 recommendations that it believes should be given careful consideration and then acted on by the federal Department of Veterans Affairs; and

Whereas, The Legislature believes it is fitting and proper to concur with these recommendations and urges the federal Department of Veterans Affairs to support their implementation; now, therefore,

 

     Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey (the General Assembly concurring):

     1.    This Legislature calls on the federal Department of Veterans Affairs to support the following 10 recommendations:

     a.     Recognize that the deficiencies in the healthcare needs of veterans living in southern New Jersey is a serious problem that must be addressed as soon as possible;

     b.    Assuming that the construction of a new veterans healthcare facility in southern New Jersey is not feasible, create a pilot program to give area veterans greater access to local medical centers, including Cape May Regional Medical Center, the Virtua System, Atlanticare, Shore Memorial Hospital, the ¹[South Jersey Health Care System] Inspira Health Network¹ , the Meridian Health Care System, the Bacharach Institute for Rehabilitation, to name just a few of the healthcare facilities that are interested in participating in the program;

     c.     Recognize that such a pilot program, administered by the department, would save money and greatly enhance healthcare opportunities for all veterans living in southern New Jersey;

     d.    Move the approximately 44,600 veterans who live in Ocean County into VISN 4 from their current VISN, so that veterans from that county, which has the greatest number of veterans in the State, would no longer need to travel as much as four to six hours round trip to get to East Orange, Wilmington or Philadelphia for healthcare services;

     e.     Determine what services are available at each community based outpatient clinic and increase communication among all community based outpatient clinics;

     f.     Provide additional, readily-accessible ¹[,]¹ information about the healthcare services, outreach services and varied information sources that are available currently to veterans living in southern New Jersey;

     g.     Focus greater attention on the healthcare needs of women veterans;

     h.     Provide additional staffing to all community based outpatient clinics where needed and appropriate, including the Northfield Veterans Clinic, the Cape May VA Outpatient Clinic and the Vineland Veterans Clinic, which are admirable facilities that lack sufficient personnel to provide the essential services and address adequately the needs of local veterans;

     i.      Establish a continuing veterans oversight committee for the State, composed of three individuals, one each from North, Central and Southern New Jersey, that would be a bridge between the State and the federal government, and that would also be a liaison to each major civilian healthcare facility that serves veterans in the State; ¹and¹

     j.     Provide, in particular, a liaison for each major civilian healthcare facility in the southern New Jersey area to assist those veterans who use the fee-based services offered at such facilities, and to assist the hospitals to interact successfully with the Department of Veterans Affairs on behalf of veterans living in southern New Jersey.

 

     2.    Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and the President of the Senate and attested by the Clerk of the General Assembly and the Secretary of the Senate, shall be transmitted to the Secretary of the federal Department of Veterans Affairs.