Establishes Office of Ombudsman for Mental Health and Addiction Services.

A1420

ASSEMBLY, No. 1420

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman ELLEN J. PARK

District 37 (Bergen)

Assemblywoman SHANIQUE SPEIGHT

District 29 (Essex and Hudson)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblyman Danielsen

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes Office of Ombudsman for Mental Health and
Addiction Services.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.

��

An Act
establishing the Office of the Ombudsman for Mental
Health and Addiction Services and supplementing Title 30 of the Revised
Statutes.

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

���� 1.��� a.� There is
established, in but not of the Department of the Treasury, the Office of the
Ombudsman for Mental Health and Addiction Services.� For the purpose of
complying with the provisions of Article V, Section IV, paragraph 1 of the New
Jersey Constitution, the Office of the Ombudsman for Mental Health and
Addiction Services is hereby allocated within the Department of the Treasury,
but notwithstanding this allocation, the office shall be independent of any
supervision or control by the department or any board or officer thereof, or
any other cabinet-level department, board, or officer thereof.� The purpose of
the ombudsman shall be support individuals with mental illness and addiction.

���� b.��� The Governor shall
appoint an Ombudsman for Mental Health and Addiction Services, who shall be
qualified by training and experience to perform the duties of the office.� The
ombudsman shall be a person of recognized judgment, integrity, and objectivity,
and shall be skilled in communication, conflict resolution, and
professionalism.

���� c.��� The ombudsman shall
organize and direct the work of the office, including the work of professional
and clerical staff, as may be necessary to carry out the ombudsman's duties.

���� 2.��� a.� The duties of the
Ombudsman Mental Health and Addiction Services shall include, but shall not be
limited to:

���� (1)� helping individuals with
mental illness and addiction find effective treatment facilities and programs,
including substance use disorder recovery services, health care services,
mental health services, medication-assisted treatment services, and other
substance use disorder treatment services;

���� (2)� ensuring that individuals
with mental illness and addiction, including patients and residents within
mental health facilities and programs, are receiving proper care and treatment;

���� (3)� providing educational
programs, confidential drug counseling, and vocational guidance and job
placement for individuals with mental illness and addiction;

���� (4)� educating individuals
about the harm caused by substance use disorders with respect to individuals,
families, and society; and

���� (5)� creating public
information programs to educate individuals with mental illness and addiction
of the duties of and resources provided by the ombudsman.

���� b.��� The ombudsman shall
treat communications received in the course of the ombudsman's duties,
including personally identifiable information regarding individuals with mental
illness and addiction or others from whom information is acquired, as
confidential, except when disclosure is necessary to enable the ombudsman to
perform the duties of the office, and consent for the disclosure is obtained.�
Upon the receipt of information that by law is confidential or privileged, the
ombudsman shall maintain the confidentiality of the information, and shall not
disclose or disseminate the information, except as provided by applicable State
or federal law.

���� 3.��� a.� The Ombudsman for
Mental Health and Addiction Services shall annually issue a written report to
the Commissioner of Human Services.� The report shall include a summary of the
services the ombudsman provided during the year, and any specific recommendations
the ombudsman deems appropriate and necessary concerning the State's provision
of services and support to individuals with mental illness and addiction.

���� b.��� The ombudsman also shall
issue the report prepared pursuant to subsection a. of this section to the
Governor, and pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1) to the
Legislature.

���� 4.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill establishes the
Office of the Ombudsman for Mental Health and Addiction Services, in but not of
the Department of the Treasury, to support individuals with mental illness and
addiction.� Under the bill, the Governor is to appoint an Ombudsman for Mental
Health and Addiction Services, who is to be qualified by training and
experience to perform the duties of the office.� The ombudsman is to be a
person of recognized judgment, integrity, and objectivity, and is to be skilled
in communication, conflict resolution, and professionalism.

���� The duties of the Ombudsman
Mental Health and Addiction Services are to include, but not be limited to, the
following: (1) helping individuals with mental illness and addiction find
effective treatment facilities and programs, including substance use disorder
recovery services, health care services, mental health services,
medication-assisted drug treatment services, and other substance use disorder
treatment services; (2) ensuring that individuals with mental illness and
addiction, including patients and residents within mental health facilities and
programs, are receiving proper care and treatment; (3) providing educational
programs; confidential drug counseling; and vocational guidance and job
placement for individuals with mental illness and addiction; (4) educating
individuals about the harm caused by substance use disorder with respect to
individuals, families, and society; and (5) creating public information
programs to educate individuals with mental illness and addiction of the duties
of and resources provided by the ombudsman.

���� The bill provides that the
Ombudsman for Mental Health and Addiction Services is to annually issue a
written report to the Commissioner of Human Services, the Governor, and the
Legislature.� The report is to include a summary of the services the ombudsman
provided during the year, and any specific recommendations the ombudsman deems
appropriate and necessary concerning the State's provision of services and
support to individuals with mental illness and addiction.