Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman AURA K. DUNN
District 25 (Morris and Somerset)
Assemblywoman VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE
District 37 (Bergen)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblymen Giblin and Conaway
SYNOPSIS
Requires DOH to conduct study on causes of youth suicide.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning youth suicide.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Commissioner of Health, in consultation with the Department of Children and Families, the Department of Human Services, and the New Jersey Youth Suicide Prevention Advisory Council shall study the causes of and risk factors associated with youth suicide in this State, including, but not limited to: aggression, agitation, anxiety, emotional and physical trauma, family history, impulsivity, physical and mental illness, social withdrawal, and substance use, including alcohol, illicit drug, and prescription medication use. The Commissioner of Health shall at a minimum: review suicide data, available health records in a manner that is consistent with federal and State privacy laws, medical and other scientific literature, scholarly articles, public and private research, and any other resources deemed appropriate by the Commissioner of Health to carry out the purposes of this act.
b. Within 180 days following the effective date of this act, the Commissioner of Health shall issue a report to the Governor, and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature containing the commissioner’s findings made pursuant to subsection a. of this section. The report shall include any recommendations for legislation or regulatory changes that would address and aim to eliminate causes of youth suicide.
2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire upon the submission of the findings of the Commissioner of Health pursuant to subsection b. of section 1 of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Department of Health (DOH) to conduct a study on the causes of youth suicide.
Under the bill, the
Commissioner of Health (commissioner), in consultation with the Department of Children
and Families, the Department of Human Services, and the New Jersey Youth
Suicide Prevention Advisory Council is to study the causes of and risk factors
associated with youth suicide in this State, including, but not limited to:
aggression, agitation, anxiety, emotional and physical trauma, family history,
impulsivity, physical and mental illness, social withdrawal, and substance use,
including alcohol, illicit drug, and prescription medication use. The
commissioner is to at a minimum: review suicide data, available health records
in a manner
that is consistent with federal and State privacy laws, medical and other scientific literature, scholarly articles, public and private research, and any other resources deemed appropriate by the commissioner to carry out the purposes of this bill.
The bill provides that the commissioner is to issue a report to the Governor and Legislature containing the commissioner’s findings made pursuant to the bill’s provisions. The report is to include any recommendations for legislation or regulatory changes that would further the study of the causes of youth suicide.