Establishes Behavioral Health Services Task Force.

A2434

ASSEMBLY, No. 2434

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman TENNILLE R. MCCOY

District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes Behavioral Health Services Task Force.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

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

��

An Act

establishing a task force to study and make
recommendations regarding the provision of behavioral health care services.

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

����� 1.�� a.�� There
is established in the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in the
Department of Human Services the Behavioral Health Services Task Force.�

����� b.�� The
purpose of the task force shall be to review and analyze the structure and
delivery of behavioral health services in New Jersey and make recommendations
for legislation or other such action as it deems appropriate with regard to
improving, expanding, and facilitating the provision of behavioral health
services to the citizens of this State. Behavioral health services reviewed and
analyzed by the task force shall include both services for individuals with
mental health concerns and substance use disorder.

����� c.�� The
task force shall consist of 26 members who are selected to represent a
geographically diverse representation of New Jersey, as follows:

����� (1)�� the
Commissioners of Health, Human Services, and Children and Families, or their
designees, who shall serve ex officio;

����� (2)�� Seven
public members to be appointed by the Governor, as follows:� one person upon
the recommendation of the New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction
Agencies; one person upon the recommendation of the National Alliance on Mental
Illness New Jersey; one person upon the recommendation of the Mental Health
Association in New Jersey; one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey
Hospital Association who represents an acute care entity; one person upon the
recommendation of the Society of Psychiatric Advanced Practice Nurses of the
New Jersey State Nurses Association; one person upon the recommendation of the
New Jersey Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association; and one person upon the
recommendation of the New Jersey Primary Care Association;

����� (3)�� Eight
public members to be appointed by the President of the Senate, as follows:� one
person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Chapter of the American
College of Emergency Physicians; one person representing a health insurance
carrier and one person representing a Medicaid managed care organization, both
upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Association of Health Plans; one
psychiatrist upon the recommendation of the Medical Society of New Jersey; one
representative of an entity which is designated by the State to provide
screening services, as defined in section 2 of P.L.1987, c.116
(C.30:4-27.2); one representative of an organization which works with
individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities; one representative
of an organization which works with individuals who have substance use
disorder; and one representative of an entity which provides early intervention
support services through a contract with the Division of Mental Health and
Addiction Services; and

����� (4)�� Eight
public members to be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, as
follows:� one representative of Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care; one
person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Hospital Association; one
representative of the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers; one person upon
the recommendation of the Advocates for Children of New Jersey; one
representative of an outpatient treatment provider; one representative of an
entity that provides community social services; one person upon the
recommendation of the New Jersey Association of Osteopathic Physicians and
Surgeons; and one health care provider, upon the recommendation of the New
Jersey Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, who specializes in
treating children and adolescents.

����� d.�� Vacancies
in the membership of the task force shall be filled in the same manner provided
for the original appointments.

����� e.�� The
task force shall organize as soon as practicable following the appointment of
its members, and shall select a chairperson and vice-chairperson from among the
members.� The chairperson shall appoint a secretary who need not be a member of
the task force.

����� f.��� The
public members shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for
necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties and within the
limits of funds available to the task force.

����� g.�� The
task force shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the
services of the employees of any State, county, or municipal department, board,
bureau, commission, or agency as it may require and as may be made available to
it for its purposes.

����� h.�� The
Department of Human Services shall provide staff support to the task force.

���� 2.� a.� The duties of the Behavioral
Health Services Task Force, established by section 1 of this act, shall include,
but not be limited to:

���� (1)�� conducting a survey of
the current behavioral health care system on a county by county basis for
acute, short-term, and long-term care;

���� (2)�� identifying gaps in the
current behavioral health care system for the delivery of care for children,
adolescents, and adults on a county by county basis for acute, short-term, and
long-term care; and

���� (3)�� making recommendations
to:

���� (a)�� ensure access to quality
emergency behavioral health care in a timely manner;

���� (b)�� coordinate services
among providers;

���� (c)�� facilitate access to
comprehensive behavioral health care and treatment;

���� (d)�� maximize the effective
use of available funding;

���� (e)�� establish new programs
or revise existing programs;

���� (f)�� promote enhanced
communication and information exchanges; and

���� (g)�� any other matters the task
force deems necessary and appropriate.

���� b.� The task force may
contract with the Rutgers Center for State Health Policy, or a similar
organization, to conduct the survey of the current behavioral health care
system and to conduct any other analysis or research the task force anticipates
will contribute to the ability of the task force to fulfill the duties required
of it pursuant to this section.�

���� c.� The task force may solicit
and receive grants and other funds that are made available for the task force�s
purposes by any governmental, public, not-for-profit, or for-profit agency,
including funds that are made available under any federal or State law,
regulations, or program.

���� d.� No later than 18 months
following the effective date of this act, the task force shall report to the
Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164
(C.52:14-19.1), its findings and recommendations, including actionable steps
which can be taken in regard to the provision of behavioral health services in
New Jersey.� The task force shall terminate upon submission of the report.

���� 3.� This act shall take effect
immediately and shall expire upon submission of the task force�s report
required to be prepared pursuant to section 2 of this act.

STATEMENT

���� This bill establishes the
Behavioral Health Task Force in the Division of Mental Health and Addiction
Services in the Department of Human Services (DHS). The purpose of the board
will be to review all aspects of behavioral health services in New Jersey and
make recommendations for legislation or other such action as it deems
appropriate with regard to improving, expanding, and facilitating the provision
of behavioral health services to the citizens of this State. Behavioral health
services reviewed and analyzed by the task force shall include both services
for individuals with mental health concerns and substance use disorders.

���� The board will consist of 26
members: the Commissioners of Health, Human Services, and Children and
Families, or their designees, who would serve ex officio; and 23 public
members, with seven members to be appointed by the Governor, and eight members
each to be appointed by the Senate President and the Speaker of the General
Assembly. The members are to represent the geographic diversity of New Jersey,
and the DHS will be required to provide staff support to the board.

���� The members appointed by the
Governor would include: one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey
Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies; one person upon the
recommendation of the National Alliance on Mental Illness New Jersey; one person
upon the recommendation of the Mental Health Association in New Jersey; one
person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Hospital Association who
represents an acute care entity; one person upon the recommendation of the
Society of Psychiatric Advanced Practice Nurses of the New Jersey State Nurses
Association; one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Psychiatric
Rehabilitation Association; and one person upon the recommendation of the New
Jersey Primary Care Association.

���� The members appointed by the
Senate President would include: one person upon the recommendation of the New
Jersey Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians; one person
representing a health insurance carrier and one person representing a Medicaid
managed care organization, both upon the recommendation of the New Jersey
Association of Health Plans; one psychiatrist upon the recommendation of the
Medical Society of New Jersey; one representative of an entity which is
designated by the State to provide screening services; one representative of an
organization which works with individuals with intellectual or developmental
disabilities; one representative of an organization which works with
individuals who have a substance use disorder; and one representative of an
entity which provides early intervention support services in the State.

���� The members to be appointed by
the Speaker of the General Assembly would include: one representative of
Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care; one person upon the recommendation
of the New Jersey Hospital Association; one representative of the Camden
Coalition of Healthcare Providers; one person upon the recommendation of the
Advocates for Children of New Jersey; one representative of an outpatient
treatment provider; one representative of an entity that provides community
social services; one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey
Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons; and one health care
provider, upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Chapter of the American
Academy of Pediatrics, who specializes in treating children and adolescents.

���� The task force is to organize
and issue a report to the Legislature and the Governor 18 months after the
bill�s effective date. After the submission of the report, the task force will
expire.

���� The task force is permitted to
solicit and receive grants and other funds that are made available for the task
force�s purposes from public and private entities. The task force may contract
with a third party, such as the Rutgers Center for State Health Policy, to meet
the objectives of the task force as they are delineated in the bill.

���� The goals of the task force
include, but are not limited to, conducting a survey of the current behavioral
health care system on a county by county basis for acute, short-term, and
long-term care; identifying gaps in the current behavioral health care system
for the delivery of care for children, adolescents, and adults on a county by
county basis for acute, short-term, and long-term care; and making
recommendations to: ensure access to quality emergency behavioral health care
in a timely manner; coordinate services among providers; facilitate access to
comprehensive behavioral health care and treatment; maximize the effective use
of available funding; establish new programs or revise existing programs;
promote enhanced communication and information exchanges; and any other matters
the task force deems necessary and appropriate.