Sponsored by:
Assemblyman LOUIS D. GREENWALD
District 6 (Burlington and Camden)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes Childrens Partial Hospitalization Pilot Program in DHS.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning childrens partial hospitalization services.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. There is hereby established in the Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services in the Department of Human Services the Childrens Partial Hospitalization Pilot Program. The goal of this pilot program shall be to expand the availability of partial hospitalization services for children ages five through 14 by providing reimbursement under the NJ FamilyCare program for partial hospitalization services provided at a non-hospital based location.
b. The division shall select one applicant to participate in the pilot program. An eligible applicant for the pilot program shall:
(1) demonstrate an established plan for implementation;
(2) exclusively provide partial hospitalization services to children ages five through 14;
(3) provide partial hospitalization services in a county with a population less than 100,000, and in a municipality with a population greater than 5,500, according to the 2020 federal census;
(4) meet all existing federal and State requirements for reimbursement of childrens partial hospitalization services under NJ FamilyCare, except that the location of service delivery shall not be a hospital licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.); and
(5) apply to the Department of Children and Families for approval as a provider within the Childrens System of Care.
c. The division shall establish a process by which an applicant shall apply for approval to participate in the pilot program.
d. No later than 36 months after effective date of this act, the division shall submit to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature, a report that summarizes the implementation of the program to date, as well as recommendations for the continuation and expansion of the pilot program.
e. As used in this section:
NJ Family Care means the program established pursuant to P.L.2005, c.156 (C.30:4J-8 et al.), which includes the State's Medicaid Program and the Children's Health Insurance Program.
Childrens Partial Hospitalization Services means an intensive, highly structured outpatient treatment program that provides individualized, outcomes-oriented psychiatric services designed for youth and young adults and that is intended to minimize the need for inpatient hospitalization.
2. The Commissioner of Human Services shall apply for such State plan amendments or waivers as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this act and to secure federal financial participation for State Medicaid expenditures under the federal Medicaid program.
3. The Commissioner of Human Services, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), shall adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act.
4. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire 12 months after the submission of the report pursuant to subsection d. of section 1 of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill directs the Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services in the Department of Human Services to establish the Childrens Partial Hospitalization Pilot Program. The goal of this pilot program is to expand the availability of partial hospitalization services for children ages five through 14 by providing reimbursement under the NJ FamilyCare program - the State s health insurance program for eligible, low-income persons - for partial hospitalization services provided at non-hospital based locations.
Childrens partial hospitalization services are intensive, highly structured outpatient treatment services that provide individualized, outcomes-oriented psychiatric services designed for youth and young adults and that are intended to minimize the need for inpatient hospitalization. Currently, to qualify for NJ FamilyCare reimbursement, partial hospitalization services must be provided in a hospital setting.
Under the bill, the division is to select one applicant to participate in the pilot program. The eligible applicant is required to: demonstrate an established plan for implementation; exclusively provide partial hospitalization services to children ages five through 14; provide partial hospitalization services in a county with a population less than 100,000, and in a municipality with a population greater than 5,500, according to the 2020 federal census; meet all existing federal and State requirements for reimbursement of childrens partial hospitalization services under NJ FamilyCare, except that the location of service delivery does not need to be a licensed hospital; and apply to the Department of Children and Families for approval as a provider within the Childrens System of Care. The Childrens System of Care is New Jerseys public behavioral health system for youth under 21 years of age.
No later than 36 months after
effective date of the bill, the
division is required to submit to the Governor and to the Legislature, a report
that summarizes the implementation of the program to date, as well as
recommendations for the continuation of the program. The pilot program shall expire 12 months after the submission of this
report.