New Jersey A 2563: Requires DMVA conduct outcomes and efficacy study of veteran to veteran peer support helpline.

Bill Text

ASSEMBLY, No. 2563

STATE OF NEW JERSEY
220th LEGISLATURE

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 14, 2022

Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman CAROL A. MURPHY
District 7 (Burlington)

SYNOPSIS
Requires DMVA conduct outcomes and efficacy study of veteran to veteran
peer support helpline.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.

A2563 MURPHY
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AN ACT requiring the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs 1
to conduct a study on the outcomes and efficacy of the veteran to 2
veteran peer support helpline. 3
4
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State 5
of New Jersey: 6
7
1. a. The Adjutant General of the Department of Military and 8
Veterans Affairs, or a designee, shall conduct a two-year study on the 9
outcomes and efficacy of the veteran to veteran peer support helpline, 10
established pursuant to section 2 of P.L.2011, c.116 (C.38A:13-11) 11
and commonly referred to as the vet to vet hotline, and shall prepare 12
and submit a written report to the Legislature, pursuant to section 2 13
of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), within six months of the 14
conclusion of the study. The study shall be based on an analysis of 15
national suicide data and data collected from the helpline, and shall 16
include, but not be limited to: 17
(1) the efficacy of the helpline in leading veterans to sustained 18
mental health regimens and suicide prevention; 19
(2) the helpline’s visibility; 20
(3) the role of the helpline as part of the department’s mental 21
health care services; 22
(4) whether receiving sustained mental health care services 23
affects suicidality and whether veterans previously receiving 24
department mental health care services use the helpline in times of 25
crisis; 26
(5) the helpline's effectiveness in assisting veterans at risk for 27
suicide when contacted by a non-veteran; 28
(6) the helpline’s overall efficacy in preventing suicides and 29
whether the number of contacts affects such efficacy; 30
(7) the helpline’s long-term efficacy in preventing repeated 31
suicide attempts and when such efficacy is temporary; 32
(8) when referral to mental health care services affects the risk of 33
suicide; and 34
(9) the helpline’s efficacy in promoting continued mental health 35
care for those veterans who are at high risk for suicide and whose 36
suicide was prevented. 37
b. In addition to the written report submitted pursuant to 38
subsection a. of this section, the Adjutant General, or a designee, may 39
submit a proposal for legislation that improves the laws of this State 40
regarding the efficacy of the veteran to veteran peer support helpline. 41
42
2. This act shall take effect immediately. 43
44
45
STATEMENT 46
47
This bill requires the Adjutant General of the Department of 48
Military and Veterans Affairs to conduct a study on the outcomes and 49

A2563 MURPHY
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efficacy of the veteran to veteran peer support helpline, commonly 1
referred to as the vet to vet hotline, and to submit a report of its 2
findings to the Legislature, and permits the Adjutant General to 3
submit a proposal for legislation that improves the laws of this State 4
regarding the efficacy of the veteran to veteran peer support helpline. 5
The study will be for a two-year period and will be based on an 6
analysis of national suicide data and data collected from the helpline. 7
The study will include, but not be limited to: 8
(1) the efficacy of the helpline in leading veterans to sustained 9
mental health regimens and suicide prevention; 10
(2) the helpline’s visibility; 11
(3) the role of the helpline as part of the department’s mental 12
health care services; 13
(4) whether receiving sustained mental health care services 14
affects suicidality and whether veterans previously receiving 15
department mental health care services use the helpline in times of 16
crisis; 17
(5) the helpline's effectiveness in assisting veterans at risk for 18
suicide when contacted by a non-veteran; 19
(6) the helpline’s overall efficacy in preventing suicides and 20
whether the number of contacts affects such efficacy; 21
(7) the lines long-term efficacy in preventing repeated suicide 22
attempts and when such efficacy is temporary; 23
(8) when referral to mental health care services affects the risk of 24
suicide; and 25
(9) the helpline’s efficacy in promoting continued mental health 26
care for those veterans who are at high risk for suicide and whose 27
suicide was prevented. 28