New Jersey S 1601: Encourages expansion of community mental health programs to include mental health services to veterans; prohibits veterans from being denied county mental health services.

Bill Text

S1601 

SENATE, No. 1601 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Senator CARMEN F. AMATO, JR.

District 9 (Ocean)

Senator KRISTIN M. CORRADO

District 40 (Bergen, Essex and Passaic)

SYNOPSIS

���� Encourages expansion of community mental health 
programs to include mental health services to veterans; prohibits veterans from 
being denied county mental health services.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

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

�� 

An Act concerning county mental health services, 
amending P.L.1957, c.146, and amending and supplementing P.L.1983, c.435.

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

���� 1.� Section 1 of P.L.1957, c.146 
(C.30:9A-1) is amended to read as follows:

���� 1.� It is declared to be the 
public policy of this State to encourage the development of preventive, 
treatment and transitional services for mental health clients through the 
improvement and expansion of community mental health programs in designated service 
areas for the entire State which will provide these elements of adequate 
services:

���� (a)� In-patient services;

���� (b)� Out-patient services;

���� (c)� Partial hospitalization 
services such as day care, night care, weekend care;� 

���� (d)� Emergency services 24 
hours per day to be available within at least one of the first three services 
listed above;

���� (e)� Consultation and 
education services available to community agencies and professional personnel;

���� (f)� Children's services;

���� (g)� Services for the elderly;

���� (h)� Screening services;

���� (i)� Rehabilitative services 
including vocational and educational programs;

���� (j)� Transitional services;

���� (k)� Advocacy services;

���� (l)� Training services; [and]

���� (m)� Research and evaluation; 
and

���� (n) �Services for veterans.

���� The aforementioned services 
are to be provided principally for persons residing in a particular community 
or communities which are designated as the community mental health center 
service area, in or near which the facilities providing the elements of service 
are situated.

���� It is further declared to be 
the public policy of this State to establish a Community Mental Health Citizens 
Advisory Board for mental health services to plan, establish and recommend to 
the Commissioner of Human Services and the Director of the Division of Mental 
Health Services those policies which are necessary to ensure the development 
and adequate delivery of the aforementioned elements of mental health services.

(cf: P.L.1995, c.4, s.6)

���� 2.� Section 3 of P.L.1983, c.435 
(C.30:9A-9.2) is amended to read as follows:

���� 3.� a.� The reimbursement or 
advancement grants shall be used to initiate or expand services to the 
following target populations and such other populations as may be designated by 
the Commissioner of [the 
Department] 
of Human Services:

���� (1) Persons in State or county 
psychiatric institutions whose conditions do not warrant institutionalization; [and]

���� (2) Adults and children in the 
community who have psychiatric problems and are at risk of hospitalization 
because of a lack of alternative community services; and

���� (3) Veterans in need of 
mental health services.

���� b.� The commissioner shall 
promulgate rules and regulations clearly delineating the conditions which shall 
be met for an individual to be considered part of a "target 
population."

���� c.� In addition, the 
commissioner shall promulgate standards for monitoring� and evaluating local 
mental health programs and shall cause a report, in� writing, to be prepared 
and submitted to the Governor and the Legislature through the [Standing 
Reference Committees on Institutions, Health and Welfare] Senate 
Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens and Senate Military and Veterans� 
Affairs Committees, the Assembly Human Services, Senior Services and Assembly 
Military and Veterans� Affairs Committees, and the Office of Legislative 
Services on the results of the monitoring and evaluation, in a manner 
sufficient to indicate utilization of State funds for� target populations 
served.� The commissioner shall include in the report a funding source analysis 
of all projects within each county receiving reimbursement or advancement 
grants.� The report shall be submitted within 12 months following enactment of 
this act and annually thereafter.

(cf: P.L.1983, c.435, s.3)

���� 3.� (New section)� a.� Notwithstanding 
any law, rule, regulation, or order to the contrary, a veteran in need of 
mental health services who meets the eligibility requirements of a county 
mental health services program shall not be denied county mental health 
services:

���� (1) based solely on the 
person�s status as a veteran, including whether or not the person is eligible 
for services provided by the United States Department of Veterans