ASSEMBLY APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 4124

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  OCTOBER 22, 2026

      The Assembly Appropriations Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 4124 (1R).

      As reported, this bill provides for an approved agency, which is an agency approved by the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to place children for adoption in New Jersey, to facilitate the voluntary temporary placement of a person in crisis in the home of a volunteer, who is to provide a temporary home during the time that the person is in crisis. 

      Under the bill, “crisis” is defined in the bill as a temporary situation which includes, but is not limited to, homelessness, hospitalization, substance abuse or mental health issues, domestic violence, or unemployment.  An approved agency is to enter into a contract with DCF prior to facilitating the placements.

      These agencies are also to: provide oversight of a placement by visiting the placement home weekly; provide assistance to help guide the person in crisis in restoring a stable life; and locate a different voluntary temporary placement if, as determined by the approved agency, a change is necessary.

      Under the bill, a temporary placement facilitated for a person in crisis under the age of 18 is to be made in conjunction with a court filing by the DCF pursuant to Title 9 or Title 30 of the Revised Statutes.

      A home study to determine the suitability of the home is to be conducted prior to a prospective volunteer providing the temporary home.  As part of the home study, the approved agency is to consider background checks from the State's child abuse registry and obtain State and federal criminal history record checks for each prospective volunteer and person 18 years of age or older residing in the prospective volunteer's home.  The costs of the checks are to be paid by the DCF.

      The bill also provides that the approved agency is to forward each home study and the agency's determination of the suitability of the home to DCF, prior to placement of a person in crisis in the home of a prospective volunteer.  The approved agency is to maintain a record of each home study, background check, and its determination of the suitability of the home.

      The bill also amends the law governing confidentiality of information in the State's child abuse registry to permit disclosure of the information to a physician assistant and an advanced practice nurse, and to a prospective volunteer seeking to provide a temporary home to a person in crisis if the information is necessary in connection with the provision of care, treatment, assessment, evaluation, or supervision to the person in crisis or the volunteer and the provision of information is in the best interests of the person in crisis.

FISCAL IMPACT:

      The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) estimates that this bill would increase annual expenditures by an indeterminate amount for the Department of Children and Families, the Department Law and Public Safety, and the Judiciary because of the newly established system under the bill that allows for the voluntary, temporary placement of a person in crisis in the home of a volunteer.

      The cost drivers for these expenses include the following unpredictable information: the number of persons in crisis who volunteer for placement; the number of individuals who volunteer to house a person in crisis; the number of persons 18 years of age or older residing in prospective volunteers' homes; the reimbursement rates paid by the Department of Children and Families to approved agencies under the bill; and the number of entities who contract with the department to facilitate placements.