Sponsored by:
Senator HOLLY T. SCHEPISI
District 39 (Bergen)
SYNOPSIS
Requires DOH to conduct survey on status of antenatal and prenatal care clinics in New Jersey.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning maternity, antenatal, and prenatal care services and supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Department of Health shall conduct a survey and analysis of antenatal and prenatal care clinics for the purpose of evaluating the effectiveness of maternity, antenatal, and prenatal care services throughout the State. The survey shall include data collected from all antenatal and prenatal care clinics in the State, including antenatal and prenatal care clinics that have closed or substantially ceased operations of any of its beds, facilities, or services, within a two-year period prior to the effective date of this act.
b. The purpose of the survey shall be to:
(1) inform policy on the certificate of need requirements as provided by P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.) concerning the closure or discontinuance of all, or a component of, a antenatal and prenatal care clinics services;
(2) assess the availability of antenatal and prenatal care clinics and their ability to provide maternity, antenatal, and prenatal care services;
(3) identify where low and moderate income pregnant women receive maternity, antenatal, and prenatal care services; and
(4) collect cultural, demographic, and socioeconomic background data about the pregnant women served by antenatal and prenatal care clinics.
c. Survey data collected pursuant to this section shall be analyzed to:
(1) identify local and Statewide trends and developments in the provision of maternity, antenatal, and prenatal care services and disparities in the care received by pregnant women based on economic factors and the accessibility of antenatal and prenatal care clinics; and
(2) develop programs, resources, and strategies to improve access to, and the quality of, maternity, antenatal, and prenatal care services throughout the State.
The commissioner may contract with a third party entity to administer the survey, review survey data, and produce the report required pursuant to subsection d. of this section.
d. The commissioner shall make survey data collected pursuant to this section available through the Department of Healths Internet website in a user-friendly format, and shall, no later than 18 months after the effective date of this act, submit a report to the Legislature, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), concerning the results of the survey and the commissioners recommendations for legislation or other appropriate action; provided that nothing in this subsection shall be construed to authorize the disclosure of any personal identifying information or confidential patient information.
e. As used in this section, "antenatal and prenatal care clinic" means an inpatient or ambulatory health care facility licensed by the Department of Health that provides maternity, antenatal, and prenatal care services.
2. The Commissioner of Health, pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act, P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), shall promulgate rules and regulations to effectuate the provisions of this act.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Commissioner of Health to conduct a survey and analysis of antenatal and prenatal care clinics for the purpose of evaluating the effectiveness of maternity, antenatal, and prenatal care services throughout the State. The survey includes data collected from all antenatal and prenatal care clinics in the State, including antenatal and prenatal care clinics that have closed or substantially ceased operation of any of their beds, facilities, or services, within a two-year period prior to the effective date of the bill. As used in the bill, "antenatal and prenatal care clinic" means an inpatient or ambulatory health care facility licensed by the Department of Health that provides maternity, antenatal, and prenatal care services.
The purpose of the survey is to: inform policy on the certificate of need requirements as provided by P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.) concerning the closure or discontinuance of all, or a component of, antenatal and prenatal care clinics services; assess the availability of antenatal and prenatal care clinics and their ability to provide maternity, antenatal, and prenatal care services; identify facilities where low and moderate income pregnant women receive maternity, antenatal, and prenatal care services; and collect cultural, demographic, and socioeconomic background data about the pregnant women served by antenatal and prenatal care clinics.
The collected survey data are to be analyzed to: identify local and Statewide trends and developments in the provision of maternity, antenatal, and prenatal care services and disparities in the care received by pregnant women based on economic factors and the accessibility of antenatal and prenatal care clinics; and develop programs, resources, and strategies to improve access to, and the quality of, maternity, antenatal, and prenatal care services throughout the State.
Survey data are to be made available through the Department of Healths website, and the commissioner is to submit a report to the Legislature concerning the results of the survey and any recommendations for legislation or other action. The bill specifies that published and reported data are not to include any personal identifying
information or confidential patient information. The bill authorizes the commissioner to contract with a third party entity to administer the survey, review survey data, and produce the required report.
This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2024-2025 session pending technical review. As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.