SENATE LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 1227

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  FEBRUARY 19, 2026

      The Senate Law and Public Safety Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 1227.

As amended and reported by the committee, this bill establishes the Law Enforcement Critical Mental Health Assistance Grant Program in the Department of Human Services.  The purpose of the program is to award grants to mental health providers and peer support teams to provide confidential mental health services and emotional and practical assistance to law enforcement officers or family members of the law enforcement officers who are in a mental health crisis or suicidal.

     Under the amended bill, the Commissioner of Human Services is required to develop an application by which a mental health provider or peer support team may apply for a grant for funding to provide mental health services and emotional and practical assistance pursuant to the provisions of the amended bill.  The commissioner is required to establish selection criteria for the awarding of grants under the program.  The amended bill provides that consideration is to be given to the geographical location of mental health providers and peer support teams and the areas where they provide services in order to facilitate patients traveling less than one hour to receive mental health services, to the greatest extent possible.

     Under the amended bill, the commissioner is to provide notice of the availability of funding for this program and make the application available on the department's Internet website.  Upon receipt of an application, the commissioner is required to review the application and, subject to the availability of funds, award a grant to each approved grant applicant.  Additionally, under the amended bill, the commissioner is required to publish a list of approved mental health providers and peer support teams on the department’s Internet website.

      This bill was prefiled for introduction in the 2026-2027 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to:

      (1)  include the definition for “peer support team” as law enforcement officers, or authorized representatives of a collective bargaining unit or organization representing law enforcement officers, who are trained by culturally competent mental health professionals to provide emotional and practical assistance to first responders;

      (2)  allow peer support teams to apply for the Law Enforcement Critical Mental Health Assistance Grant Program;

      (3)  clarify that the program is to award grants to peer support teams to provide confidential mental health services and emotional and practical assistance to law enforcement officers or family members of the law enforcement officers who are in a mental health crisis or suicidal;

      (4)  clarify that the Commissioner of Human Services is required to develop an application by which a peer support team may apply for a grant for funding to provide mental health services and emotional and practical assistance pursuant to provisions of the bill;

      (5)  clarify that, under the grant program, consideration is to be given to the geographical location of peer support teams and the areas where they provide service; and

      (6)  clarify that the Commissioner of Human Services is required to publish a list of approved peer support teams on the department’s Internet website.