Sponsored by:
Senator ANTHONY M. BUCCO
District 25 (Morris and Somerset)
Senator VIN GOPAL
District 11 (Monmouth)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senator Madden
SYNOPSIS
Establishes public awareness campaign concerning programs and services for first responders, healthcare workers, and other frontline workers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder during COVID-19 pandemic.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing a public awareness campaign concerning first responders, healthcare workers, and other frontline workers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and supplementing Title 30 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Commissioner of Human Services shall establish a public awareness campaign to provide information to the general public concerning the programs and services available for first responders, healthcare workers, and other frontline workers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
b. The commissioner, in establishing the public awareness campaign, shall develop outreach efforts and provide information to the general public on:
(1) the link between post-traumatic stress disorder and the COVID-19 pandemic;
(2) resources for first responders, healthcare workers, and other frontline workers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, including the programs and provided by the Department of Human Services and other federal, State, and local social services and mental health agencies during the COVID-19 pandemic;
(3) any telephone helpline established by the Department of Human Services for first responders, healthcare workers, and other frontline workers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder; and
(4) anxiety reducing strategies and other methods to manage stress, depression, and other symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic.
c. The public awareness campaign shall target the general public and first responders, healthcare workers, and other frontline workers with post-traumatic stress disorder through a variety of media, including television, radio, print, and on the Department of Human Service’s Internet website.
d. The commissioner shall provide for the development of advertisements, by signs, billboards, placards, posters and displays placed on New Jersey Transit bus, rail, and light rail system, in English and Spanish, on the public awareness campaign established pursuant to subsection a. of this section.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Commissioner of Human Services to establish a public awareness campaign to provide information to the general public concerning the programs and services available for first responders, healthcare workers, and other frontline workers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
In establishing the public awareness campaign, the commissioner would be required to develop outreach efforts and provide information to the general public on: the link between post-traumatic stress disorder and the COVID-19 pandemic; resources for first responders, healthcare workers, and other frontline workers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, including the programs and services provided by the Department of Human Services (DHS) and other federal, State, and local social services and mental health agencies during the COVID-19 pandemic; any telephone helpline established by the Department of Human Services for first responders, healthcare workers, and other frontline workers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder; and anxiety reducing strategies and other methods to manage stress, depression, and other symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under the provisions of the bill: the public awareness campaign would target the general public and first responders, healthcare workers, and other frontline workers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder through a variety of media, including television, radio, print, and on the DHS’s Internet website; and the commissioner would provide for the development of advertisements, by signs, billboards, placards, posters and displays placed on New Jersey Transit bus, rail, and light rail system, in English and Spanish, on the public awareness campaign.