Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman SHANIQUE SPEIGHT
District 29 (Essex and Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Requires hospitals to establish domestic violence screening and bystander intervention training programs for health care professionals and certain hospital staff members.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning domestic violence and bystander intervention training programs and supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Commissioner of Health shall require all hospitals licensed pursuant to pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.) to establish, in consultation with the Advisory Council on Domestic Violence, a mandatory training program in:
(1) the practice of screening patients for domestic violence for licensed health care providers; and
(2) bystander intervention techniques for hospital staff members, who, in the course of the performance of their duties, may witness incidents of domestic violence and may be unfamiliar with how to react to or address such situations.
b. The training program established pursuant to:
(1) paragraph (1) of subsection a. of this section shall include, but not be limited to, topics regarding the dynamics of domestic violence, psychological, social and physical needs of survivors of domestic violence, risks for lethality in domestic violence cases, safety planning and services for survivors of domestic violence, and the impact of racial bias and discrimination on survivors and marginalized communities; and
(2) paragraph (2) of subsection a. of this section shall include, but not be limited to, information on recognizing the signs of or behaviors of potential domestic violence, control, or coerciveness against an intimate partner, an understanding of the social and psychological barriers to intervention, and safe and effective strategies to intervene when witnessing probable incidents of domestic violence.
c. A hospital shall annually provide training, under the training programs established pursuant to subsection a. of this section, to all licensed health care professionals and hospital staff members including, but not limited to, housekeeping, cafeteria, or kitchen workers, and administrative and other ancillary personnel employed by the hospital in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs (1) or (2) of subsection b. of this section.
d. Participation in the training programs established pursuant to subsection a. of this act shall be mandatory. A hospital shall award a certificate to a licensed health care professional or hospital staff member who successfully completes a training program in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs (1) or (2) of subsection b. of this section.
e. The commissioner shall periodically assess the training programs established pursuant to subsection a. of this section and update the information provided through the programs where the commissioner finds appropriate.
2. Pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), the Commissioner of Health shall adopt any rules and regulations necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Commissioner of Health to require all licensed hospitals licensed to establish, in consultation with the Advisory Council on Domestic Violence, a mandatory training program in: (1) the practice of screening patients for domestic violence for licensed health care providers; and (2) in bystander intervention techniques for hospital staff members, who, in the course of the performance of their duties, may witness incidents of domestic violence and may be unfamiliar with how to react to or address such situations in bystander intervention techniques.
The training programs are to be provided by all hospitals annually, and contain topics and information specific to the licensed health care professionals and hospital staff members employed by the hospitals who are required to participate in the programs.
Under the bill: participation in the training programs is mandatory; hospitals are to award certificates to the licensed health care professionals and hospital staff members who successfully complete the training programs; and the commissioner is to periodically assess the training programs and update the information provided where the commissioner finds appropriate.