New Jersey A 3211: Requires DHS to provide psychiatric service dogs to first responders, health care workers, and other frontline workers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorders due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bill Text

ASSEMBLY, No. 3211

STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION

Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman AURA K. DUNN
District 25 (Morris and Passaic)

SYNOPSIS
Requires DHS to provide psychiatric service dogs to first responders, health
care workers, and other frontline workers suffering from post-traumatic stress
disorders due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.

A3211 DUNN
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AN ACT concerning service dogs and supplementing Title 4 of the 1
Revised Statutes. 2
3
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State 4
of New Jersey: 5
6
1. As used in the act: 7
“Post-traumatic stress disorder” means a mental illness classified 8
within the current version of the American Psychiatric Association 9
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) with 10
symptoms that include, but are not limited to, anxiety, 11
reclusiveness, night terrors, startle reaction, neurochemical 12
imbalance, dissociative flashback, startle response, sensory 13
overload, social withdrawal, hyper-vigilance, and hallucinations. 14
“Psychiatric service dog” means a dog trained to assist an 15
individual who has a psychiatric or mental disability, including 16
post-traumatic stress disorder. 17
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2. a. In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) 19
pandemic, the Department of Human Services shall contract with a 20
recognized service dog training agency or school to provide 21
psychiatric service dogs trained by the agency or school to first 22
responders, health care workers, and other frontline workers suffering 23
from post-traumatic stress disorder due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 24
b. To be eligible to receive a trained psychiatric service dog 25
from the Department of Human Services pursuant to subsection a. 26
of this section, an individual shall: 27
(1) be a State resident; 28
(2) be a first responder, health care worker, or frontline worker; 29
(3) suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and qualify as 30
limited in their ability to function due to mental illness under the 31
Americans with Disabilities Act "Americans with Disabilities Act of 32
1990" (42 U.S.C. s.12101 et seq.) due to the coronavirus disease 33
2019 (COVID-19), as certified by a physician or mental health 34
provider; 35
(4) apply to receive a trained psychiatric service dog on a form 36
and in a manner prescribed by the Commissioner of Human 37
Services; and 38
(5) adhere to the standards established by the commissioner for 39
receiving a trained psychiatric service dog including, but not limited 40
to, providing humane shelter and care for the service dog and 41
obeying all State laws concerning the prevention of cruelty to 42
animals. 43
c. An individual who meets the eligibility requirements of 44
subsection b. of this section shall: 45
(1) be provided with a trained psychiatric service dog, at no cost 46
to the individual; 47

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(2) procure a license and register the service dog in the 1
municipality where the individual resides; and 2
(3) be responsible for all costs relating to the dog’s shelter and 3
care. 4
d. An individual who receives a psychiatric service dog from the 5
Department of Human Services pursuant to subsection c. of this 6
section shall have the option to maintain ownership of the 7
psychiatric service dog, except that an individual who opts not to 8
maintain ownership of the psychiatric service dog shall return the 9
service dog to the department. The Department of Human Services 10
shall then return the service dog to the training agency or school that 11
trained the dog. 12
13
3. The Commissioner of Human Services, pursuant to the 14
"Administrative Procedures Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et 15
seq.) shall adopt rules and regulations necessary to effectuate the 16
purposes of this act. 17
18
4. This act shall take effect immediately. 19
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21
STATEMENT 22
23
This bill requires that in response to the coronavirus disease 24
2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Department of Human Services 25
(DHS) contract with a recognized service dog training agency or 26
school to provide psychiatric service dogs trained by the agency or 27
school to first responders, health care workers, and other frontline 28
workers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder due to the 29
pandemic. 30
As used in the bill: “post-traumatic stress disorder” means a 31
mental illness classified within the current version of the American 32
Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental 33
Disorders (DSM) with symptoms that include, but are not limited 34
to, anxiety, reclusiveness, night terrors, startle reaction, 35
neurochemical imbalance, dissociative flashback, startle response, 36
sensory overload, social withdrawal, hyper-vigilance, and 37
hallucinations; and “psychiatric service dog” means a dog trained to 38
assist an individual who has a psychiatric or mental disability, 39
including pos