ASSEMBLY HOUSING COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 4755

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  OCTOBER 13, 2022

      The Assembly Housing Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 4755.

      This bill permits behavioral and mental health care providers to operate within homeless shelters.

      Under the bill, a behavioral health care provider and a mental health care professional are to be authorized to jointly or separately provide behavioral or mental health care services to homeless persons within an emergency shelter for the homeless.  A behavioral health care provider or mental health care professional may provide such services in response to emergencies, on a part-time or full-time basis, and within a temporary or permanent location within the emergency shelter for the homeless that is exclusively used by the behavioral health care provider or mental health care professional.

      The bill defines "behavioral health care provider" to mean a provider licensed or approved by the Department of Human Services to render behavioral health care services.  "Behavioral health care" means procedures or services, other than primary health care services, which are provided by a health care practitioner to a patient for the treatment of a mental illness, emotional disorder, or drug or alcohol use disorder that is of mild to moderate severity.  "Behavioral health care" does not include procedures or services that are provided for the treatment of severe mental illness, severe emotional disorder, or severe drug or alcohol use disorder.  "Mental health care professional" means a psychiatrist, psychologist, or clinical social worker licensed pursuant to Title 45 of the Revised Statutes.