Establishes zero suicide initiative within DOH.

S4278

SENATE, No. 4278

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MAY 14, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� TROY SINGLETON

District 7 (Burlington)

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes zero suicide initiative within DOH.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act
concerning suicide, and supplementing Title 26 of the
Revised Statutes.

����
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 �New Jersey Zero Suicide in Health Systems Act.�

���� 2.��� The Legislature finds
and declares:

���� a.���� Suicide is a
preventable public health crisis and a leading cause of death in the State.

���� b.��� Evidence-based,
system-wide suicide prevention approaches in health and behavioral health care
settings can reduce suicide attempts and deaths among individuals receiving
care.

���� c.���� Suicide prevention is a
component of patient safety and quality improvement in health systems.

���� d.��� It is in the public
interest to promote voluntary adoption of comprehensive suicide prevention
practices through incentives, technical assistance, and recognition programs.

���� 3.��� As used in this act:

���� �Behavioral health care
provider� means a provider licensed or certified in this State to provide
mental health or substance use disorder services.

���� �Commissioner� means the
Commissioner of Health.

���� �Department� means the
Department of Health.

���� �Health care facility� means a
facility licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.).

���� �Zero suicide framework� means
a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to suicide prevention in health and
behavioral health systems that includes leadership commitment, workforce
training, systematic identification and assessment of suicide risk, patient
engagement, evidence-based treatment, continuity of care during care
transitions, and continuous quality improvement.

���� 4.��� a. The Department of
Health, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, shall establish
a Statewide zero suicide initiative to promote voluntary implementation of the
zero suicide framework in health care facilities and behavioral health care settings
throughout the State.

���� b.��� The initiative shall:

���� (1)�� develop and publish
model policies and clinical guidance aligned with the zero suicide framework;

���� (2)�� provide voluntary
training opportunities and technical assistance to providers;

���� (3)�� facilitate learning
collaboratives and peer-to-peer best practice exchanges;

���� (4)�� promote integration of
suicide risk screening, safety planning, and follow-up protocols into routine
clinical practice; and

���� (5)�� identify funding
opportunities and partnerships to support implementation of the framework.

���� 5.��� a. Within 5 months from
the effective date of this act, the department shall establish a voluntary zero
suicide certification program to recognize health care facilities and
behavioral health providers that implement policies and practices consistent
with the zero suicide framework.

���� b.��� The commissioner shall
establish certification standards, which may include:

���� (1)�� leadership commitment to
suicide prevention;

���� (2)�� workforce training in
suicide risk identification and response;

���� (3)�� implementation of
suicide risk screening and assessment protocols;

���� (4)�� use of evidence-based
safety planning interventions;

���� (5)�� procedures to ensure
continuity of care during high-risk periods; and

���� (6)�� participation in
data-informed quality improvement processes.

���� c.���� Certification shall be
valid for a period established by regulation and may be renewed upon
demonstration of continued compliance.

���� 6.��� a. Subject to the
availability of funds in the zero suicide implementation fund established
pursuant to section 8 of this act , the department may award grants to
providers certified pursuant to section 5 of this act to support workforce
training, data infrastructure, and implementation of suicide prevention best
practices.

���� b.��� Providers certified
pursuant to section 5 of this act may be publicly recognized by the department
through annual reporting, online listings, or other public acknowledgment.

���� c.���� The Commissioner of
Human Services, in consultation with the Commissioner of Health and subject to
federal approval where required, may establish enhanced Medicaid reimbursement
incentives or value-based payment adjustments for providers certified pursuant
to section 5 of this act. �

���� d.��� The Commissioner of
Human Services shall apply for such State plan amendments or waivers as may be
necessary to implement the provisions of this act and to secure federal
financial participation for State Medicaid expenditures under the federal
Medicaid program.

���� e.���� Notwithstanding the
provisions of subsection a. of this section, the department may award grants
from the zero suicide implementation fund to a health care facility or
behavioral health care provider that demonstrates that it has implemented a
zero suicide program or substantially similar evidence-based suicide prevention
initiative prior to the effective date of this act.

���� A provider receiving funding
pursuant to this subsection shall not be required to obtain certification under
section 5 of this act as a condition of eligibility for such grant.� Upon
establishment of the certification program pursuant to section 5 of this act, a
provider receiving funding under this subsection shall apply for certification
to remain eligible for continued funding.� A provider that has submitted a
certification application to the department shall remain eligible for funding
while the application is pending.

���� 7.��� a. The department shall
develop recommended performance measures aligned with the zero suicide
framework for voluntary use by participating providers.

���� b.��� Participating providers
may submit de-identified aggregate data to the department for purposes of
Statewide quality improvement benchmarking.

���� c.���� One year following the
effective date of this act and annually thereafter, the department shall submit
a report to the Governor, and pursuant section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164
(C.52:14-19.1), the Legislature summarizing participation levels, grant
expenditures, and Statewide trends in suicide prevention efforts, consistent
with State and federal privacy laws.

���� 8.��� There is established in
the department a non-lapsing, revolving zero suicide implementation fund.� The
fund may consist of a combination of monies appropriated by the Legislature,
federal funds, and private grants and donations.� The State Treasurer shall be
the custodian of the fund and all disbursements from the fund shall be made by
the State Treasurer upon requests made by the Commissioner of Health.� The
monies in the fund shall be invested and reinvested by the Director of the
Division of Investment in the Department of the Treasury in the same manner as
other trust funds in the custody of the State Treasurer, in the manner provided
by law.� Interest received on the monies in the fund shall be credited to the
fund.� Funds shall be used to support grants, training programs, technical
assistance, and Statewide coordination activities authorized under this act.

���� 9.��� The Commissioner of
Health, in consultation with the Commissioner of Human Services, shall adopt
rules and regulations pursuant to the �Administrative Procedure Act,� P.L.1968,
c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), as necessary to implement the provisions of this act.

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

STATEMENT

���� This bill directs the
Department of Health, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, to
establish a Statewide zero suicide initiative and certification program to
promote the voluntary implementation of a zero suicide framework in health care
facilities and behavioral health care settings throughout the State. �A zero
suicide framework is defined as a �comprehensive, evidence-based approach to
suicide prevention in health and behavioral health systems that includes
leadership commitment, workforce training, systematic identification and
assessment of suicide risk, patient engagement, evidence-based treatment,
continuity of care during care transitions, and continuous quality
improvement.�

���� The initiative would focus on:�
developing and publishing model policies and clinical guidance aligned with the
zero suicide framework; providing voluntary training opportunities and
technical assistance to providers; facilitating learning collaboratives and
peer-to-peer best practice exchanges; promoting integration of suicide risk
screening, safety planning, and follow-up protocols into routine clinical
practice; and identifying funding opportunities and partnerships to support
implementation.

���� Additionally, the bill
requires the Commissioner of Health to establish a voluntary zero suicide
certification program and establish certification standards for the program.� The
bill provides for a limited exception for health care facilities and behavioral
health care providers under certain circumstances.� The bill also establishes a
nonlapsing, revolving fund for implementation of the initiative.� The
Department of Health may use monies from the fund to provide grants to
providers certified pursuant to the provisions of the bill under certain
circumstances, support training programs, and provide technical assistance and
Statewide coordination activities authorized by the bill.