Bill Text: NJ A1169 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires discrimination prevention training for certain providers of services to senior citizens.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 12-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2022-06-20 - Received in the Senate, Referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee [A1169 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2022-A1169-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
220th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2022 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman MILA M. JASEY
District 27 (Essex and Morris)
Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Assemblywoman CAROL A. MURPHY
District 7 (Burlington)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman McKnight, Assemblyman Danielsen, Assemblywoman Jimenez, Assemblyman Mejia, Assemblywomen Lopez, Timberlake and Assemblyman McKeon
SYNOPSIS
Requires discrimination prevention training for certain providers of services to senior citizens.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning discrimination prevention training and services for seniors 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. No later than nine months after the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), the Commissioner of Human Services or the commissioner's designee shall develop, approve, select, or designate a training program that is designed to prevent and eliminate discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression in the delivery of services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and intersex senior citizens in the State. The training program shall also be designed to increase awareness among, and provide cultural competency to, service providers and their staff regarding the issues that are encountered by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and intersex seniors in order to both ensure equal access to services and improve the delivery of those services to senior citizens and their caregivers.
b. In complying with the provisions of this section, the commissioner or the commissioner's designee may consult, contract, or enter into an agreement with any entity as may be deemed by the commissioner to be appropriate.
c. (1) Each licensed or certified provider of services or supports to senior citizens in the State, who contracts with, provides services through programs administered by, or receives funding from, the Department of Human Services, any division of the department, or any area agency on aging, shall complete the anti-discrimination training program within one year after it is made available pursuant to this section or within one month after commencing the delivery of services or supports to senior citizens in the State, whichever is later.
(2) Each service provider who is required to undergo training pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection shall also ensure that each staff member employed thereby completes the anti-discrimination training program developed pursuant to this section, either within one year after the program is made available or within one month after the staff member commences employment with the provider, whichever is later.
d. A staff member or administrator of a long-term care facility may be exempt from the requirements of subsection c. of this section, if that person has received training or is required to receive training within one year after the person's date of hire, pursuant to section 6 of P.L.2021, c.33 (C.26:2H-12.106), and if the requirements of such training are substantially equivalent to the requirements of the training program developed by the commissioner pursuant to subsection a. of this section.
e. The training program may be made available online, by webinar, or by other means. The department shall establish a protocol to ensure that service providers comply with the requirements of subsection c. of this section.
2. This act shall take effect immediately upon enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Commissioner of Human Services or the commissioner's designee to develop, approve, select, or designate a training program that is designed to prevent and eliminate discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression in the delivery of services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and intersex senior citizens in the State. The bill requires that the training program be developed no later than nine months following the bill's enactment. The bill provides that the commissioner may consult, contract, or enter into an agreement with any entity designated by the commissioner to comply with the provisions of the bill.
The training program is to be designed to increase awareness among, and provide cultural competency to, service providers and their employees about the issues encountered by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and intersex seniors, in order to both ensure equal access to services for senior citizens and improve the delivery of those services to senior citizens and caregivers in the State.
The bill provides that each person who is licensed or certified to provide services or supports to senior citizens, and who contracts with, provides services through programs administered by, or receives funding from, the Department of Human Services (DHS), any of its divisions, or any area agency on aging must complete the training program within one year after the program is made available or within one month after commencing the delivery of services or supports to senior citizens in the State, whichever is later. Each service provider who is required to undergo training would also be required to ensure that each staff member employed thereby completes the anti-discrimination training program, either within one year after the program is made available or within one month after the staff member commences employment with the provider, whichever is later. A staff member or administrator of a long-term care facility may be exempt from the requirements of the bill, if that person has received training or is required to receive training within one year after the person's date of hire, pursuant to section 6 of P.L.2021, c.33 (C.26:2H-12.106), and if the requirements of such training are substantially equivalent to the requirements of the training program developed by the commissioner pursuant to this bill.
The bill authorizes the training program to be made available online, by webinar, or by other means. The DHS is required to establish a protocol to ensure that service providers comply with the bill's provisions.
The bill would take effect immediately upon enactment.
