LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE
[First Reprint]
SENATE, No. 1227
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
DATED: MARCH 4, 2026
SUMMARY
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Synopsis: |
Establishes Law Enforcement Critical Mental Health Assistance Grant Program; appropriates $3 million.
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Type of Impact: |
Annual State cost increase. |
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Agencies Affected: |
Department of Human Services. |
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Office of Legislative Services Estimate |
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Fiscal Impact |
Year 1 |
Year 2 and Beyond |
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State Cost Expenditure |
Up to $3 million |
Indeterminate |
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· The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) concludes that State expenditures will increase by up to $3 million in the first year following the bill’s enactment for the Department of Human Services to establish the Law Enforcement Critical Mental Health Assistance Grant Program, and to award grants to mental health providers and peer support teams to deliver services and assistance to law enforcement officers, or members of their families, who are in crisis or are suicidal. Annual State costs thereafter cannot be determined because they will depend on program demand and any additional funding made available for the program through the annual appropriations acts.
· The bill appropriates $3 million to the department for the program.
BILL DESCRIPTION
This bill establishes the Law Enforcement Critical Mental Health Assistance Grant Program in the Department of Human Services to award grants to mental health providers and peer support teams to deliver confidential mental health services and emotional and practical assistance to law enforcement officers, or members of their families, who are experiencing a mental health crisis or are suicidal. The bill provides a $3 million appropriation to the department to establish, administer, and award grants through the program. Peer support teams may include law enforcement officers, or authorized representatives of a collective bargaining unit or an organization representing law enforcement officers, who are trained by mental health professionals to provide emotional and practical assistance to first responders.
The Department of Human Services will develop an application through which mental health service providers and peer support teams may apply for grant funding and will establish selection criteria for awarding grants through the program. The bill stipulates that the number and value of grant awards under the program will be subject to the availability of State funds. The department also will be required to establish program guidelines for the provision of mental health services through the program and publish a list of approved mental health providers on its website.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
None received.
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
The OLS determines that State expenditures will increase by up to $3 million in the first year following the bill’s enactment for the Department of Human Services to establish, administer, and award grants through the Law Enforcement Critical Mental Health Assistance Grant Program. The department’s costs to develop program guidelines, review grant applications, and award grants will likely be marginal, and will be driven primarily by the number of grant applicants. The OLS assumes that the department will utilize a portion of the funds appropriated under the bill for its administrative costs.
The OLS lacks the informational basis to determine program costs in subsequent fiscal years given that future costs will depend on program demand and any Legislative appropriations for the grant program.
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Section: |
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Analyst: |
Senior Fiscal Analyst |
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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.).