SENATE HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND SENIOR CITIZENS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 743

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MARCH 14, 2024

      The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 743.

      This bill establishes the Training Clinicians to Support Adults with Autism Workforce Development Program in the Rutgers Center for Adult Autism Services.  The purpose of the program will be to recruit and train individuals to serve adults with autism and drive innovations to improve the quality of life for adults with autism. 

      In general, the Rutgers Center for Adult Autism Services will have discretion to determine the scope and details of the program, including the duration of the program and whether to offer different iterations of the program to different student populations.  However, the bill specifies that, at a minimum, the program is to seek to annually enroll eight to 10 students and provide 20 to 40 hours of intensive training per week.  The program will seek to recruit students enrolled in baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs across a range of disciplines, with a focus on recruiting students who demonstrate a commitment to a future career supporting adults with autism.  The training provided under the program will include intensive hands-on training alongside senior clinical staff, academic coursework, opportunities to work alongside senior faculty to develop research involving best practices, and the completion of an innovative capstone project.  The bill appropriates $500,000 to the Rutgers Center for Adult Autism Services to support the establishment and implementation of the program.

      This bill was prefiled for introduction in the 2024-2025 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.