This bill mandates that health insurance carriers in New Jersey provide coverage for the enrollment of students in recovery high school alternative education programs. It amends existing laws to ensure that coverage for mental health conditions and substance use disorders is provided under the same terms and conditions as other medical benefits. The bill requires that such coverage be deemed clinically appropriate by qualified professionals, including certified alcohol and drug counselors and treating physicians, based on criteria from the most recent Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. It emphasizes mental health parity and compliance with the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, ensuring that benefits for mental health and substance use disorders are not subject to more restrictive limitations than those for other medical benefits.

Additionally, the bill includes provisions for coverage of services delivered through the psychiatric Collaborative Care Model, which integrates behavioral health services with primary care. The new legal language inserted into the bill underscores the significance of recovery high school programs in supporting students with substance use disorders, reflecting the state's commitment to providing comprehensive educational and recovery support. The legislation will take effect 60 days after enactment and will apply to all relevant contracts and policies issued or renewed thereafter.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 17:48-6, 17:48A-7, 17:48E-35.20, 17B:26-2.1, 17B:27-46.1, 17B:27A-7.5, 17B:27A-19.7, 26:2J-4.20, 52:14-17.29