S2447 —

S2447 SHH1R Statement[First 7/20/20Reprint] SENATE HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND SENIOR CITIZENS COMMITTEE   STATEMENT TO   SENATE, No.

 2447 withSTATE committeeOF amendmentsNEW JERSEY 219th LEGISLATURE   STATEINTRODUCED OFMAY NEW7, JERSEY2020   DATED:  Sponsored by:

 JULYSenator  20,ANTHONY  M.       The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No.

2447.BUCCO District 25 (Morris and Somerset) Senator  TROY SINGLETON District 7 (Burlington)   Co-Sponsored by:

     Senators AsGopal, amendedHolzapfel, byO'Scanlon, theMadden committee,and thisPou bill  establishes  a    SYNOPSIS      Establishes toll free helpline for first responders,responders and health care workers, and other frontline workers experiencing mental health issues related to theCOVID-19 coronaviruspandemic. disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, including, but not limited to, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and substance use disorder.        Under the bill as amended, the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) in the Department of Human Services will establish the helpline.  The DMHAS will be authorized to utilize or expand existing mental health resources available through the DMHAS, as well as to consult or contract with an appropriate third party entity.  The helpline is to be accessible 24 hours a day, seven days per week and is to respond to calls from first responders, health care workers, and their families.  The operators of the helpline are to seek to identify callers who should be referred to further peer support and counseling services and provide appropriate referrals.        To the greatest extent possible, the operators of the help line are to be:

 (1)  familiarCURRENT withVERSION mentalOF healthTEXT issues     commonlyAs experiencedreported by firstthe respondersSenate healthHealth, careHuman workers,Services and theirSenior families,Citizens including,Committee buton notJuly limited22, to,2020, post-traumaticwith stressamendments. disorder, anxiety, depression, and substance use disorder, as well as the aspects of those mental health issues that are unique to first responders, health care workers, and their families;

or   (2)An trainedAct toconcerning provide1[post-traumatic counselingstress servicesdisorder involvingand] marriagemental andhealth familyissues life,related substanceto1 usethe disorder,coronavirus personaldisease stress2019 management, and othersupplementing emotionalTitle or26 psychologicalof disorders or conditions which may be likely to adversely affect the personalRevised andStatutes. service-related well-being of first responders, health care workers, and their families.

       The     amendedBe billIt providesEnacted thatby the DMHASSenate isand toGeneral ensureAssembly thatof the namesState and identities of theNew personsJersey: calling, the information discussed, and any referrals for further peer support or counseling are kept confidential;

except  that     the1.    DMHASa.  willThe have1[Department of Health] Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in the authorityDepartment toof Human Services1 shall establish guidelines1[, providingin forcoordination thewith trackingUniversity Behavioral HealthCare of anyRutgers, personThe whoState exhibitsUniversity of New Jersey,]1 a severetoll emotionalfree orhelpline psychologicalfor disorderfirst orresponders condition1[,] and1 health care workers 1[, and other frontline workers]1 experiencing 1[post-traumatic stress disorder] mental health issues1 due to their work during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic 1, which mental health issues may include, but shall not limited to, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and substance use disorder.  In developing the operatorhelpline, handlingthe division shall be authorized to utilize or expand existing mental health resources available through the calldivision, reasonablyand believesshall mightbe resultfurther inauthorized harmto consult or contract with an appropriate third party entity1 .       b.    The helpline shall be accessible 24 hours a day, seven days per week and shall respond to calls from first responders, health care workers, 1[other frontline workers,]1 and their families.  The operators of the helpline shall seek to identify first responder,responders, health care worker,workers, or1[other anyfrontline otherworkers,]1 person.and 1members of1 their families who should be referred to further peer support and counseling services 1[,]1 and provide 1appropriate1 referrals.

      COMMITTEEc.     AMENDMENTS:To the greatest extent possible, the operators of the help line 1[,]1 shall be 1:1 (1) familiar with 1[post-traumatic stress disorder and the emotional and psychological tensions, depressions, and anxieties] the mental health issues commonly experienced by first responders, health care workers, and their families, including post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and substance use disorder, as well as the aspects of those mental health issues that are1 unique to first responders, health care workers, 1[other frontline workers,]1 and their families 1;1 or (2) trained to provide counseling services involving marriage and family life, substance 1[abuse] use disorder1 , personal stress management, and other emotional or psychological disorders or conditions which may be likely to adversely affect the personal and 1[service related] service-related1 well-being of first responders, health care workers, 1[other frontline workers,]1 and their families.

          d.    The committee1[Department amendmentsof placeHealth responsibilityand forRutgers, establishingThe theState helplineUniversity withof theNew Jersey] Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) in the Department of Human Services,Services1 andshall remove1[provide fromfor the billconfidentiality referencesof] toensure1 the Departmentnames 1and identities1 of Healththe andpersons calling, the Universityinformation Behavioraldiscussed, HealthCareand ofany Rutgers,referrals Thefor Statefurther Universitypeer ofsupport Newor Jersey.counseling 1are kept confidential1 ;

     provided, however, the 1[Department of Health and Rutgers, The committeeState amendmentsUniversity provideof that,New inJersey] establishingdivision1 themay helpline,establish guidelines providing for the DMHAStracking mayof utilizeany person who exhibits a severe emotional or expandpsychological existingdisorder mentalor healthcondition resources,which andthe mayoperator furtherhandling consultthe orcall contractreasonably withbelieves anmight appropriateresult thirdin partyharm entity.to the first responder, health care worker, 1[other frontline worker,]1 or any other person.

       The     committee2.    amendmentsThe expandCommissioner the scope of the1[Health] billHuman toServices1 includeshall anyadopt mentalrules healthand issueregulations, relatedin toaccordance with the coronavirus“Administrative diseaseProcedure 2019Act,” (COVID-19)P.L.1968, pandemic,c.410 including,(C.52:14B-1 butet notseq.), limitedas to,are post-traumaticnecessary stressto disorder,effectuate anxiety,the depression,provisions andof substancethis useact. disorder.

       The     committee3.    amendmentsThis removeact languageshall thattake wouldeffect haveimmediately. made the bill applicable to “other frontline workers.”       The committee amendments make various technical changes involving grammar and to update the title and synopsis of the bill to reflect the amendments.