Sponsored by:
Senator RENEE C. BURGESS
District 28 (Essex)
Senator M. TERESA RUIZ
District 29 (Essex)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senators Codey and Durr
SYNOPSIS
Requires Division of Children’s System of Care to establish training program for employees of emergency shelters for homeless.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee on February 13, 2023, with amendments.
An Act concerning the Division of Children’s System of Care 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. 1As used in this section:
“Division” means the Division of Children’s System of Care in the Department of Children and Families.
“Emergency shelter for the homeless” means a building or structure in which a public entity or a private, nonprofit organization provides shelter, or food and shelter, to individuals and families having neither a home nor the means to obtain a home or other temporary lodging.
b. (1)1 The Division of Children’s System of Care 1[in the Department of Children and Families]1 shall establish 1[divisional and treatment-specific goals related to the provision of behavioral health care, substance use services, or disability services, as appropriate which may incorporate treatment service redesign initiatives and quality of clinical care and service delivery objectives. In establishing these goals, the division shall prioritize the needs of homeless children and adolescents who are eligible to receive behavioral health care, substance use services, or disability services.
b. The division shall adopt policies and programs to accomplish the goals established pursuant to this act.
c. Within 12 months following the effective date of this act, the division shall submit a written report to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature that:
(1) measures the division’s progress in achieving the goals established pursuant to subsection a. of this section;
(2) identifies barriers to the achievement of the goals; and
(3) makes recommendations for legislative or regulatory action to address barriers to the achievement of the goals.] a training program for the purpose of educating employees of an emergency shelter of the homeless on:
(a) the services provided by the division, including, but not limited to, mobile response and stabilization, care management services, family support, and other therapeutic and support services for youth with emotional and behavioral challenges, substance use challenges, and intellectual and development disabilities; and
(b) how to assist parents and youth in accessing the services provided by the division outlined in subparagraph (a) of paragraph (1) of this subsection.
(2) The training program shall be made available to employees of an emergency shelter for the homeless in a manner determined by the division, and shall be updated on a regular basis as may be appropriate.
c. As part of the training program established pursuant to subsection b. of this section, the division shall:
(1) develop educational and informational materials concerning the services offered by the division for youth with emotional and behavioral challenges, substance use challenges, and intellectual and development disabilities; and
(2) make available to the public on the division's Internet website, both in print, via a Department of Children and Families publication order form that can be submitted from the website, and in a digital format that can be easily printed from the website, the information contained in educational and informational materials developed pursuant to this subsection, and update this information as necessary.1
2. 1[The Division of Children’s System of Care] In accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), the Division of Children’s System of Care, in consultation with the Department of Community Affairs,1 shall adopt rules and regulations 1[pursuant to the provisions of the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), to effectuate] necessary to implement1 the provisions of this act.
3. This act shall take effect on the first day of the sixth month next following enactment.