Establishes two-year pilot program for certain mental health care facilities to treat additional juvenile patients.

This bill establishes a two-year pilot program allowing eligible mental health facilities in New Jersey to treat additional juvenile patients (ages 14-17) in vacant adult inpatient beds. To participate, facilities must employ specialized child psychiatrists, trained juvenile nurses, age-appropriate treatment programs, and hold licenses for both adult and juvenile care. During the pilot, facilities may place juvenile patients in vacant adult beds (when clinically appropriate) and move adult patients to voluntary beds under the same conditions. The state health and human services departments will study the program’s impact on care quality and submit a report within 90 days after the pilot ends. The initiative aims to address juvenile mental health bed shortages by maximizing existing facility capacity.