LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE
[Second Reprint]
ASSEMBLY, No. 1176
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
220th LEGISLATURE
DATED: JUNE 27, 2023
SUMMARY
Synopsis: Requires institutions of higher education to implement suicide
prevention programs and raise awareness of mental health services.
Type of Impact: Potential State expenditure increase for public institutions of higher
education.
Agencies Affected: Public Institutions of Higher Education.
Office of Legislative Services Estimate
Fiscal Impact Annual
Potential Cost Increase for Public
Indeterminate
Institutions of Higher Education
 The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) concludes that this bill may cause an indeterminate
increase in expenditures for some institutions of higher education associated with the
requirement that individuals with training and experience in mental health issues will be
responsible for working with faculty and staff of the institution of higher education on
recognizing the signs of depression and referral of students to crisis hotlines and mental health
screenings and to provide annual training on these topics.
 The OLS concludes that there could be additional costs specific to four-year institutions of
higher education which, under the bill, are required to provide all students who serve as
resident assistants with annual training on the signs of depression, the warning signs and risk
factors associated with college student suicide, the referral of students to campus mental health
resources, and responding to students in crisis.
 The OLS concludes that there could be additional costs for institutions of higher education
associated with conducting the mental health public awareness campaign, posting crisis hotline
information in required locations around campus, and establishing a mental health crisis
assessment and response plan, if they do not already do so.
Office of Legislative Services Legislative Budget and Finance Office
State House Annex Phone (609) 847-3105
P.O. Box 068 Fax (609) 777-2442
Trenton, New Jersey 08625 www.njleg.state.nj.us
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BILL DESCRIPTION
Under current State law, institutions of higher education are required to have individuals with
training and experience in mental health issues who focus on reducing student suicides and
attempted suicides available on campus or remotely by telephone or other means for students 24
hours a day, seven days a week. The individuals also work with faculty and staff on ways to
recognize the warning signs and risk factors associated with student suicide. This bill amends
current law to additionally require trained individuals to work with faculty and staff on recognizing
the signs of depression and on the referral of students to crisis hotlines and mental health screenings
and to provide annual training on all of these topics. The bill provides that the institution would
post the crisis hotline numbers in each dormitory, library, and student center, as well as any other
facility or area on campus that the institution deems appropriate.
The bill also provides that a four-year institution of higher education will require all students
who serve as resident assistants to receive annual training on the signs of depression, the warning
signs and risk factors associated with college student suicide, the referral of students to campus
mental health resources, and responding to students in crisis.
Additionally, the bill requires institutions of higher education to annually conduct a mental
health public awareness campaign on campus designed to provide students with information on
depression and suicide, raise awareness of the mental health services available on and off campus,
and reduce the stigma associated with seeking mental health services.
Finally, the bill requires the president of an institution, or a designee, to establish a mental
health crisis assessment and response plan to act as the official protocol to be used by campus staff,
faculty, and in the case of four-year institutions, resident assistants, to identify, assess, and respond
to a student who is experiencing a mental health crisis.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
None received.
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
The OLS concludes that the bill may lead to an indeterminate increase in expenditures among
institutions of higher education to the extent that the institutions do not currently meet the
requirements of the bill. The potential expenditure increase would be associated with the
requirement that individuals with training and experience in mental health issues will be
responsible for working with, and providing annual training to, faculty and staff of the institution
on recognizing the signs of depression and the referral of students to crisis hotlines and mental
health screenings. For institutions that do not already have individuals who perform these extra
duties, there could be additional costs.
The OLS concludes that there could also be additional costs for institutions of higher education
associated with annually conducting the mental health public awareness campaign, establishing a
mental health crisis assessment and response plan, and posting crisis hotline information in the
required locations on campus, to the extent that the institutions do not already do so.
The OLS also concludes that there could be additional costs specific to four-year institutions
of higher education which, under the bill, are required to provide all students who serve as resident
assistants with annual training on the signs of depression, the warning signs and risk factors
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associated with college student suicide, the referral of students to campus mental health services,
and ways to respond to students in crisis, if such training is not already provided to resident
assistants.
Section: Education
Analyst: Abigail Chambers
Assistant Fiscal 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.).


Statutes affected:
Introduced: 18A:3B-73
Reprint: 18A:3B-73