Requires children's psychiatric facilities to have designated staff members visually supervise patients 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

This bill (A 196) requires children’s psychiatric facilities in New Jersey to provide continuous visual supervision of all patients 24 hours a day, seven days a week, through designated trained staff. Facilities must use live video monitoring (with wireless streaming capability) when staff actively watch children via monitors, except during bathroom or shower use. It directly affects acute child psychiatric care facilities - defined as hospitals contracted for crisis services or private health care facilities - and expands staff accountability by including facility directors in supervision responsibilities. The bill amends existing law to clarify who is responsible for patient supervision and prohibits unsupervised time for children, except in limited bathroom/shower scenarios.