SENATE HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND SENIOR CITIZENS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 3261

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JANUARY 19, 2023

      The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 3261.

      As amended by the committee, this bill permits behavioral health care providers to provide behavioral health care services to homeless persons within an emergency shelter for the homeless.  A behavioral health care provider 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.

      As amended, the bill defines “behavioral health care provider” to mean a psychiatrist, psychiatric advanced practice nurse, psychologist, clinical social worker, marriage and family therapist, or any other mental health or substance use disorder treatment provider licensed pursuant to Title 45 of the Revised Statutes.  The amended bill also defines "behavioral health care" as 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.

      As reported by the committee with amendments, Senate Bill No. 3261 is identical to Assembly Bill No. 4755 (1R), which was also reported by the committee on this date.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS

      The committee amendments revise the definition of “behavioral health care” to remove language limiting the term to the treatment of conditions of mild to moderate severity, as well as language specifying certain conditions that would not be included in the term.

      The committee amendments revise the definition of “behavioral health care provider” to mean a psychiatrist, psychiatric advanced practice nurse, psychologist, clinical social worker, marriage and family therapist, or any other mental health or substance use disorder
treatment provider licensed pursuant to Title 45 of the Revised Statutes.

      The committee amendments remove language throughout the bill referring to “mental health care professionals” and “mental health care services.”