S722 S785 SCS

Sponsored by:

Senator RICHARD J. CODEY

District 27 (Essex and Morris)

Senator TROY SINGLETON

District 7 (Burlington)

Co-Sponsored by:

Senators Pou and Diegnan

SYNOPSIS

Establishes three-year Crisis Response Support Pilot Program to make mental health services available to police departments responding to certain emergencies; appropriates $2 million.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

Substitute as adopted by the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee.

An Act establishing a three-year Crisis Response Support Pilot Program and making an appropriation.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. a. As used in this section:

“Pilot county” means a county in which a municipality has been selected by the Commissioner of Health to participate in the pilot program established pursuant to this section.

“Pilot municipality” means a municipality selected by the Commissioner of Health to participate in the pilot program established by this section.

“Pilot program” means the Crisis Response Support Pilot Program established by this section.

b. There is established a three-year Crisis Response Support Pilot Program. The purpose of the pilot program shall be to provide support to police departments or forces in the State when responding to a call that involves a person who is suffering from a mental health condition or substance use disorder and is in crisis.

c. The Commissioner of Health shall select for participation in the pilot program two municipalities in each of the northern, central, and southern regions of the State, as follows:

(1) a northern regional pilot municipality shall be located in Essex County in a municipality having a population of more than 30,000 and a population density of more than 10,000 persons per square mile according to the latest federal decennial census;

(2) a central regional pilot municipality shall be located in Middlesex County in a municipality having a population of more than 35,000 and a population density of more than 7,500 persons per square mile according to the latest federal decennial census;

(3) a southern regional pilot municipality shall be located in Burlington County in a municipality having a population of more than 7,000 and a population density of more than 4,750 persons per square mile according to the latest federal decennial census.

d. The county prosecutor's office in each pilot county shall designate a crisis response support coordinator who shall be responsible for coordinating with the Commissioner of Health to develop procedures for implementing the Crisis Response Support Pilot Program in each pilot municipality.

e. Each pilot municipality or pilot county shall contract with a nonprofit mental health service provider to provide support to the police department or force in the pilot municipality when responding to a call that involves a person who is suffering from a mental health condition or substance use disorder and is in crisis. The provider shall be contracted to provide support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The pilot municipality or pilot county shall provide information concerning the mental health service provider to the appropriate county crisis response support coordinator.

f. The Commissioner of Health, in consultation with the county crisis response support coordinators, shall establish guidelines for the implementation of the pilot program in each pilot municipality.

g. The governing body of a pilot municipality or pilot county shall provide documentation of the costs incurred to implement the Crisis Response Support Pilot Program to the Commissioner of Health. The Department of Health shall reimburse each pilot municipality or pilot county for the documented costs associated with implementing the pilot program.

h. The Commissioner of Health shall submit a report evaluating the implementation and operation of the pilot program to the Governor and, pursuant to the provisions of section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature within 90 days after the completion of the pilot program. The report shall recommend whether the pilot program should be continued, expanded, or made permanent.

2. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health the sum of $2,000,000 to effectuate the provisions of section 1 of P.L. c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill). The Commissioner of Health may seek assistance from the federal government, private foundations, and any other source to fund the Crisis Response Support Pilot Program established pursuant to section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

3. This act shall take effect on the first day of the seventh month next following the date of enactment and shall expire upon the filing of the report required pursuant to subsection h. of section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill). The Commissioner of Health may take any anticipatory administrative action in advance of the effective date as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.