ASSEMBLY, No. 5565

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED MAY 5, 2021

 

 

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman   JOANN DOWNEY

District 11 (Monmouth)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

           Behavioral Health Crisis Mobile Response Act    appropriates $2.5 million.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

        As introduced.

   

An Act concerning crisis response for adults with disabilities who are undergoing a behavioral health crisis, supplementing Title 30 of the Revised Statutes, and making an appropriation.

 

        Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

        1.       This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the    Behavioral Health Crisis Mobile Response Act.   

 

        2.       As used in this act:

           Adult in crisis    means an adult with disabilities who is experiencing a behavioral health crisis.  

           Behavioral health crisis    means an emergency or crisis situation in which an adult with a disability experiences mental, emotional, or behavioral health challenges that endanger the health, safety, or wellbeing of the disabled adult, or of other persons interacting with the disabled adult, and which cannot be controlled, or otherwise properly addressed or stabilized by the adult, or by the adult   s family members, attendant caregivers, or direct care staff members, without professional assistance.  

           Crisis bed    means an available bed in a temporary stabilization unit that is used, when needed, for the temporary placement, not exceeding seven days, and stabilization of an adult in crisis.

           Crisis response    means face-to-face emergency response, which is provided by a mobile crisis response team under this act, with the assistance of a temporary stabilization unit, where needed, and which is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to de-escalate and stabilize any behavioral health crisis being experienced by an adult with disabilities.  

           Crisis response services    means services that are provided during the initial crisis response period, either by a mobile crisis response team, or by a temporary stabilization unit, to stabilize the adult in crisis.

           Department    means the Department of Human Services.

           Direct care staff member    means a person 18 years of age or older who is employed by a group home, and who may come into direct contact with group home residents.  

           Disability    means an intellectual or developmental disability, or a mental illness.

           Group home    means the same as that term is defined by section 1 of P.L.2017, c.238 (C.30:6D-9.1).

           Home    means a private residence or a community-based residential facility, such as a group home or halfway house, where an adult in crisis is a resident.

           Individualized crisis stabilization plan (ICSP)    means an individualized service plan, developed by a mobile crisis response team for an adult in crisis, which identifies target behaviors to be addressed in, desired outcomes to be attained by, and necessary mental or behavioral health services to be provided to, the adult in crisis, both during the initial crisis response period and, if indicated, during a subsequent stabilization management period lasting up to eight weeks thereafter, as necessary to ensure the stabilization of the adult in crisis and minimize or eliminate the dangers stemming from the crisis.  

           Initial 72-hour mobile response period    means the initial period of time, lasting 72 hours, over a four-day span of time, during which a mobile crisis response team is required to provide mobile crisis response services to an adult in crisis, while at the adult   s home or at another place where the adult is located, as provided by section 5 of this act.      Initial 72-hour mobile response period    does not include any time during which the adult in crisis is housed in a temporary stabilization unit.

           Initial crisis response period    means the initial 72-hour mobile response period, and any additional period of time, lasting up to seven days, during which the adult in crisis is housed in a temporary stabilization unit.      Initial crisis response period    shall include the period of time during which an adult in crisis is being transported by a mobile crisis response unit from the person   s home, or other place where the person is located, to a temporary stabilization unit.  

           Mental health care professional    means a psychiatrist, professional counselor, practicing psychologist, psychoanalyst, clinical social worker, or psychiatric nurse practitioner licensed pursuant to Title 45 of the Revised Statutes.  

           Mobile crisis response agency    means an entity that is approved and authorized, pursuant to subsection a. of section 4 of this act, to provide mobile crisis response services and stabilization management services to adults in crisis.

           Mobile crisis response services    means services, as described in subsection b. of section 5 of this act, which are provided by a mobile crisis response team during the initial 72-hour mobile response period.

           Mobile crisis response team    means a mobile team of mental health care professionals who are qualified to assess and stabilize a behavioral health crisis situation, and address the immediate needs of an adult with disabilities who is in crisis.

           Stabilization,       initial stabilization,    or    stabilize    means the initial stabilization of an adult in crisis, which is effectuated by a mobile crisis response team or staff at a temporary stabilization unit during the initial crisis response period, and prior to any stabilization management period, and which effectively calms and stabilizes the behavior of the adult in crisis, and removes the immediate potential for danger arising out of the crisis situation.

           Stabilization management period    means a period of time, lasting no more than eight weeks, and commencing at the end of the initial 72-hour mobile response period, or at the time that the adult is discharged from a temporary stabilization unit, whichever is later, during which the mobile crisis response team provides ongoing stabilization management services to the adult with disabilities in the adult   s home.

           Stabilization management services    means the ongoing provision, monitoring, and coordination of, and referral to, services and supports identified in the ICSP, in accordance with section 6 of this act, for up to eight weeks immediately following the completion of the initial crisis response period, as necessary for the mobile crisis response team to ensure the long-term stabilization of the crisis situation.

           Temporary stabilization unit    means a facility, or a part of a facility, which is licensed pursuant to section 9 of this act, and which is authorized to provide a safe, non-clinical, and non-punitive inpatient space to be used to stabilize an adult in crisis, for a period of no more than seven days, in cases where the responding mobile crisis response team has determined that the adult is in need of a crisis bed.  

 

        3.       a.   The Commissioner of Human Services, in consultation with the Commissioner of Health, and the Directors of th