Sponsored by:
Assemblyman LOUIS D. GREENWALD
District 6 (Burlington and Camden)
Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Assemblywoman ELLEN J. PARK
District 37 (Bergen)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Benson, Assemblywoman N.Munoz and Assemblyman Stanley
SYNOPSIS
Requires State to foster development and implementation of graduate medical education programs in behavioral health care.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning graduate medical education and amending and supplementing P.L.1977, c.390.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 5 of P.L.1977, c.390 (C.18A:64H-5) is amended to read as follows:
5. The [Commission on] Secretary of Higher Education, upon the advice of the Advisory Council, with the concurrence of the Commissioner of Health, shall:
a. Plan for the development and implementation of graduate medical education programs in the State, which programs shall include programs in both physical health care and behavioral health care;
b. Set standards for qualification for participation by public and private nonprofit hospitals in the State;
c. Establish standards for the use and expenditures of funds appropriated pursuant to this act;
d. Determine the number and type of graduate medical education programs which should be supported in particular hospitals in relation to total State needs.
(cf: P.L.1994, c.48, s.174)
2. (New section) a. The Commissioner of Human Services shall apply for such State plan amendments or waivers as may be necessary to secure federal financial participation for State Medicaid expenditures under the federal Medicaid program for the purpose of establishing additional graduate medical education slots focused on behavioral health care.
b. Contingent on approval of State plan amendments or waivers applied for pursuant to subsection a. of this section, the Commissioner of Human Services and the Secretary of Higher Education shall establish a process for graduate medical education programs to request and use Medicaid funds to establish additional graduate medical education programs focused on behavioral health care.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Secretary of Higher Education to ensure that the graduate medical education programs developed and implemented in New Jersey include programs in both physical health care and behavioral health care.
The bill additionally requires the Commissioner of Human Services to apply for such State plan amendments or waivers as may be necessary to secure federal financial participation for State Medicaid expenditures under the federal Medicaid program for the purpose of establishing additional graduate medical education slots focused on behavioral health care.
Contingent on approval of the requested State plan amendments or waivers, the Commissioner of Human Services and the Secretary of Higher Education will be required to establish a process for graduate medical education programs to request and use Medicaid funds to establish additional graduate medical education programs focused on behavioral health care.
It is the sponsor’s intent to ensure that the State fosters training in behavioral health care to help foster a robust behavioral health care workforce in New Jersey. According to the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), New Jersey had 44 Psychiatry resident positions available in the 2021 Match, all of which were filled, suggesting that there is an existing demand for behavioral health care graduate medical education slots that would support the creation of new slots and help expand the behavioral health care workforce.