This bill requires all New Jersey public schools to teach suicide prevention and related mental health education in every grade from kindergarten through 12th grade. It mandates that the State Board of Education revise curriculum standards within 180 days to include eight specific elements, such as recognizing suicide warning signs, understanding mental health's connection to overall health, identifying support resources, and addressing stigma. The instruction must be age-appropriate and evidence-based, covering topics like risk factors, protective factors, and the relationship between mental health and substance abuse. Implementation begins with the first full school year after the bill takes effect.
This bill requires New Jersey's Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services to establish four new non-clinical recovery community centers for people recovering from substance use disorders. These centers will provide peer-led support services - including recovery coaching, life skills training, childcare, job readiness programs, and mental wellness activities - without offering clinical treatment. The division must seek funding from any source to support the centers and submit annual reports to the Governor and Legislature on progress and recommendations for expansion. Currently, only two such centers operate in New Jersey (Eva’s Village in Passaic and Living Proof in Camden).
This bill would require doctors to prescribe no more than a seven-day supply of opioid pain medications for new patients with acute pain (short-term pain like injuries or surgery), except in specific cases. Doctors must also discuss addiction risks with patients, document medical history and pain management plans, and obtain patient agreements for long-term opioid use. It applies to initial opioid prescriptions for acute pain but excludes chronic pain, cancer care, hospice, or end-of-life treatment. The law aims to reduce opioid overuse by limiting initial doses and improving patient education, with additional review requirements for prescriptions lasting three months or longer.
This bill increases Medicaid reimbursement rates for in-person partial care and intensive outpatient behavioral health and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment services for adults aged 21+ by 35%. It also sets a minimum $10 per one-way trip reimbursement for transportation to these services (up from $7), covering both transportation and mileage costs. The changes apply to all Medicaid providers - both fee-for-service and managed care systems - effective after the bill's enactment date. These rate adjustments directly affect adult Medicaid beneficiaries receiving these services and the outpatient facilities delivering them.
This bill (A 626) requires New Jersey Medicaid to cover substance use disorder treatment services provided by community-based organizations. It mandates opioid treatment programs to offer harm reduction services and individualized counseling schedules, while prohibiting discharges for refusing counseling or missing doses (unless overdose risk is imminent). The bill also establishes new licensing standards for community organizations seeking Medicaid reimbursement and defines key terms like "medication units" for opioid treatment delivery. These changes directly affect Medicaid recipients, opioid treatment programs, and community-based service providers across New Jersey.
This bill requires New Jersey hospitals to provide mental health evaluations to patients treated for drug overdoses before discharge. It mandates that all health insurance plans - including hospital service contracts, medical service contracts, and individual/group policies - cover these evaluations at the same level as other medical treatments. The law directly affects hospitals, insurers, and patients recovering from drug overdoses in New Jersey. It ensures coverage for these evaluations without additional cost-sharing, applying to all relevant insurance contracts issued or renewed in the state.
This bill establishes a Statewide tele-psychiatry program within New Jersey's Department of Human Services, appropriating $4 million to provide real-time psychiatric assessments and treatment for patients in mental health or substance abuse crises. The program connects hospitals (referring sites) with licensed mental health providers (consulting providers) via video or audio, enabling timely care without requiring patients to travel. The Department must contract with a partner to implement the program statewide within three years, monitor its operation through annual site visits, and report yearly to the Governor and Legislature on metrics like assessment volumes, patient stays, and changes in involuntary commitments. It specifically requires facilitating linkages with critical access and small rural hospitals to expand access to psychiatric services.
This bill requires New Jersey colleges and universities to maintain a supply of naloxone nasal spray (for opioid overdose emergencies) in secure, accessible campus locations and develop a campus policy for its emergency use. It directly affects institutions of higher education, licensed campus medical staff, and designated campus personnel like resident assistants who may administer naloxone after required training. Key provisions include mandating hospital transport for overdose victims after naloxone use, permitting trained non-medical staff to administer the drug in good faith, and providing liability protection for those acting in compliance with the law. The policy must be developed with guidance from the state’s higher education and human services departments.
This bill requires New Jersey's Division of Gaming Enforcement, working with the Health Commissioner, to create a public education campaign about gambling risks and treatment resources for compulsive gamblers. The campaign must cover gambling risks, consequences, addiction rates, and available help, using media like TV, radio, social media, and newspapers within 180 days of the bill's enactment. It appropriates $200,000 from the state General Fund to cover campaign development and implementation. The campaign's progress must be reported to the Governor and Legislature within 24 months of the bill taking effect. The bill directly affects New Jersey residents by providing accessible information on gambling risks and support services.
This bill (A 3793) requires New Jersey health care facilities to screen health care workers and first responders - those who provided pandemic response or essential services during the COVID-19 crisis - for symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related to the pandemic when they seek inpatient or outpatient care. Facilities must avoid redundant screenings across the state, respect an individual’s right to refuse screening, and offer referrals to treatment resources and links to mental health information if symptoms are identified. The Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services must develop a screening tool and publish resource links on its website, which facilities must share with affected workers and link to via the Department of Health’s website. The law aims to ensure timely access to mental health support for pandemic responders through standardized, non-intrusive screening and resource coordination.
