Sponsored by:
Senator RICHARD J. CODEY
District 27 (Essex and Morris)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senator Gopal
SYNOPSIS
Requires discrimination prevention training for certain providers of services to senior citizens.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning discrimination prevention training and services for seniors 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. No later than nine months after the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), the Commissioner of Human Services or the commissioner’s designee shall develop a training program that is designed to prevent and eliminate discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression in the delivery of services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and intersex senior citizens in the State. The training program shall also be designed to increase awareness among, and provide cultural competency to, service providers and their staff regarding the issues that are encountered by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and intersex seniors in order to both ensure equal access to services and improve the delivery of those services to senior citizens and their caregivers.
b. In developing the anti-discrimination training program pursuant to this section, the commissioner or the commissioner’s designee may consult with any agencies, advocacy organizations, or governmental entities as may be deemed thereby to be appropriate.
c. (1) Each licensed or certified provider of services or supports to senior citizens in the State, who contracts with, provides services through programs administered by, or receives funding from, the Department of Human Services, any division of the department, or any area agency on aging, shall complete the anti-discrimination training program within six months after it is made available pursuant to this section or within one month after commencing the delivery of services or supports to senior citizens in the State, whichever is later.
(2) Each service provider who is required to undergo training pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection shall also ensure that each staff member employed thereby completes the anti-discrimination training program developed pursuant to this section, either within six months after the program is made available or within one month after the staff member commences employment with the provider, whichever is later.
d. The department may make the training program available online, by webinar, or by other means. The department shall establish a protocol to ensure that service providers comply with the requirements of subsection c. of this section.
2. This act shall take effect immediately upon enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Commissioner of Human Services or the commissioner’s designee to develop a training program that is designed to prevent and eliminate discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression in the delivery of services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and intersex senior citizens in the State. The bill requires that the training program be developed no later than nine months following the bill’s enactment.
The training program is to be designed to increase awareness among, and provide cultural competency to, service providers and their employees about the issues encountered by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and intersex seniors, in order to both ensure equal access to services for senior citizens and improve the delivery of those services to senior citizens and caregivers in the State.
The bill provides that each person who is licensed or certified to provide services or supports to senior citizens, and who contracts with, provides services through programs administered by, or receives funding from, the Department of Human Services (DHS), any of its divisions, or any area agency on aging must complete the training program within six months after the program is made available or within one month after commencing the delivery of services or supports to senior citizens in the State, whichever is later. Each service provider who is required to undergo training would also be required to ensure that each staff member employed thereby completes the anti-discrimination training program, either within six months after the program is made available or within one month after the staff member commences employment with the provider, whichever is later.
The DHS would be required to make the training program available online, by webinar, or by other means and would further be required to establish a protocol to ensure that service providers comply with the bill’s provisions.
The bill would take effect immediately upon enactment.