LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE

[First Reprint]

SENATE, No. 1067

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

221st LEGISLATURE

 

DATED: SEPTEMBER 26, 2024

 

 

SUMMARY

 

Synopsis:

“Right to Mental Health for Individuals who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing Act”; establishes certain requirements concerning provision of mental health services to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing and appropriates funds.

Type of Impact:

Annual State expenditure increase.

Agencies Affected:

Department of Human Services.

 

 

Office of Legislative Services Estimate

Fiscal Impact

Annual

 

State Expenditure Increase

Indeterminate

 

 

 

 

·       The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) concludes that there will be an indeterminate annual increase to State costs to implement the services and programmatic requirements of the bill.  The primary non-staff related cost drivers would be the development of a mental health workforce that can effectively serve deaf and hard of hearing individuals, the establishment and implementation of certification criteria for these mental health professionals, and the provision of funding for services.  These costs would largely depend upon unknown factors: the total population that would be served under the bill and the necessary expansion of the existing provider network to meet the needs of this population.

·       Annual State costs to expand staff within the Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in the Department of Human Services to comply with the provisions of the bill are estimated to be about $255,000.  This accounts for a new deaf services coordinator, as required under the bill, and assumes the need for one additional full-time program specialist position to support the deaf services coordinator in implementing the various provisions of the bill regarding oversight and administration.

 

 

BILL DESCRIPTION

 

      This bill establishes certain requirements concerning the provision of mental health services to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.  Under the bill, the Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services, both in the Department of Human Services, will be required to: implement and maintain culturally affirmative and linguistically appropriate mental health services; recruit, develop, and maintain an adequate number of certified mental health professionals and support staff to meet the demand for these services; monitor the services provided to ensure that clients are adequately served; provide adequate funding for these services; develop certification criteria for mental health professionals to provide services to clients; develop incentives to promote professional recruitment and retention; and develop and implement strategies to ensure access to mental health services regardless of geography. 

      The department will be required to employ a deaf services coordinator, who will be responsible for coordinating and overseeing the implementation of culturally affirmative and linguistically appropriate mental health services Statewide and to establish an advisory committee.  The bill appropriates from the General Fund to the Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing such sums as are necessary to employ a deaf services coordinator.

 

 

FISCAL ANALYSIS

 

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

 

      None received.

 

 

OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES

 

      The OLS concludes that there will be an indeterminate annual increase to State costs to implement the services and programmatic requirements of the bill, while State costs to expand staff within the Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing are estimated to be about $255,000. 

      This estimate assumes that, in addition to the deaf services coordinator position required under the bill, the division will also need one program specialist.  Under this estimate, the deaf services coordinator position will have an annual cost of about $170,000 and the full-time program specialist position will have an annual cost of about $85,000, including fringe benefits.

      Annual expenses incurred by the division to fulfill the provisions of the bill beyond staffing are indeterminate.  While the division provides an array of services and programs to improve the quality of life for people with hearing loss, few of the services focus on mental health.  Outside of the Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services funds ACCESS, an agency that offers services for deaf and hard of hearing people in New Jersey, including outpatient therapy and psychiatric and mental health services.

      Under the bill, the primary non-staff related costs would be the development of a mental health workforce that can effectively serve deaf and hard of hearing individuals, the establishment and implementation of certification criteria for these mental health professionals, and the provision of funding for services.  The costs will be largely dependent upon unknown factors:  the population served under the bill and the necessary expansion of the existing provider network to meet the needs of this population.  The OLS estimates that up to 322,000 individuals may qualify for services under this bill.  Based upon available information, it is further assumed that the current behavioral health provider network for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing does not meet the existing needs of this population. 

 

 

Section:

Human Services

Analyst:

Sarah Schmidt

Lead Research Analyst

Approved:

Thomas Koenig

Legislative Budget and Finance Officer

 

 

This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.

 

This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).