S4278

An Act concerning suicide, and supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statutes.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the “New Jersey Zero Suicide in Health Systems Act.”

2. The Legislature finds and declares:

a. Suicide is a preventable public health crisis and a leading cause of death in the State.

b. Evidence-based, system-wide suicide prevention approaches in health and behavioral health care settings can reduce suicide attempts and deaths among individuals receiving care.

c. Suicide prevention is a component of patient safety and quality improvement in health systems.

d. It is in the public interest to promote voluntary adoption of comprehensive suicide prevention practices through incentives, technical assistance, and recognition programs.

3. As used in this act:

“Behavioral health care provider” means a provider licensed or certified in this State to provide mental health or substance use disorder services.

“Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Health.

“Department” means the Department of Health.

“Health care facility” means a facility licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.).

“Zero suicide framework” means a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to suicide prevention in health and behavioral health systems that includes leadership commitment, workforce training, systematic identification and assessment of suicide risk, patient engagement, evidence-based treatment, continuity of care during care transitions, and continuous quality improvement.

4. a. The Department of Health, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, shall establish a Statewide zero suicide initiative to promote voluntary implementation of the zero suicide framework in health care facilities and behavioral health care settings throughout the State.

b. The initiative shall:

(1) develop and publish model policies and clinical guidance aligned with the zero suicide framework;

(2) provide voluntary training opportunities and technical assistance to providers;

(3) facilitate learning collaboratives and peer-to-peer best practice exchanges;

(4) promote integration of suicide risk screening, safety planning, and follow-up protocols into routine clinical practice; and

(5) identify funding opportunities and partnerships to support implementation of the framework.

5. a. Within 5 months from the effective date of this act, the department shall establish a voluntary zero suicide certification program to recognize health care facilities and behavioral health providers that implement policies and practices consistent with the zero suicide framework.

b. The commissioner shall establish certification standards, which may include:

(1) leadership commitment to suicide prevention;

(2) workforce training in suicide risk identification and response;

(3) implementation of suicide risk screening and assessment protocols;

(4) use of evidence-based safety planning interventions;

(5) procedures to ensure continuity of care during high-risk periods; and

(6) participation in data-informed quality improvement processes.

c. Certification shall be valid for a period established by regulation and may be renewed upon demonstration of continued compliance.

6. a. Subject to the availability of funds in the zero suicide implementation fund established pursuant to section 8 of this act , the department may award grants to providers certified pursuant to section 5 of this act to support workforce training, data infrastructure, and implementation of suicide prevention best practices.

b. Providers certified pursuant to section 5 of this act may be publicly recognized by the department through annual reporting, online listings, or other public acknowledgment.

c. The Commissioner of Human Services, in consultation with the Commissioner of Health and subject to federal approval where required, may establish enhanced Medicaid reimbursement incentives or value-based payment adjustments for providers certified pursuant to section 5 of this act.

d. The Commissioner of Human Services shall apply for such State plan amendments or waivers as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this act and to secure federal financial participation for State Medicaid expenditures under the federal Medicaid program.

e. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection a. of this section, the department may award grants from the zero suicide implementation fund to a health care facility or behavioral health care provider that demonstrates that it has implemented a zero suicide program or substantially similar evidence-based suicide prevention initiative prior to the effective date of this act.

A provider receiving funding pursuant to this subsection shall not be required to obtain certification under section 5 of this act as a condition of eligibility for such grant. Upon establishment of the certification program pursuant to section 5 of this act, a provider receiving funding under this subsection shall apply for certification to remain eligible for continued funding. A provider that has submitted a certification application to the department shall remain eligible for funding while the application is pending.

7. a. The department shall develop recommended performance measures aligned with the zero suicide framework for voluntary use by participating providers.

b. Participating providers may submit de-identified aggregate data to the department for purposes of Statewide quality improvement benchmarking.

c. One year following the effective date of this act and annually thereafter, the department shall submit a report to the Governor, and pursuant section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), the Legislature summarizing participation levels, grant expenditures, and Statewide trends in suicide prevention efforts, consistent with State and federal privacy laws.

8. There is established in the department a non-lapsing, revolving zero suicide implementation fund. The fund may consist of a combination of monies appropriated by the Legislature, federal funds, and private grants and donations. The State Treasurer shall be the custodian of the fund and all disbursements from the fund shall be made by the State Treasurer upon requests made by the Commissioner of Health. The monies in the fund shall be invested and reinvested by the Director of the Division of Investment in the Department of the Treasury in the same manner as other trust funds in the custody of the State Treasurer, in the manner provided by law. Interest received on the monies in the fund shall be credited to the fund. Funds shall be used to support grants, training programs, technical assistance, and Statewide coordination activities authorized under this act.

9. The Commissioner of Health, in consultation with the Commissioner of Human Services, shall adopt rules and regulations pursuant to the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), as necessary to implement the provisions of this act.

10 This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill directs the Department of Health, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, to establish a Statewide zero suicide initiative and certification program to promote the voluntary implementation of a zero suicide framework in health care facilities and behavioral health care settings throughout the State. A zero suicide framework is defined as a “comprehensive, evidence-based approach to suicide prevention in health and behavioral health systems that includes leadership commitment, workforce training, systematic identification and assessment of suicide risk, patient engagement, evidence-based treatment, continuity of care during care transitions, and continuous quality improvement.”

The initiative would focus on: developing and publishing model policies and clinical guidance aligned with the zero suicide framework; providing voluntary training opportunities and technical assistance to providers; facilitating learning collaboratives and peer-to-peer best practice exchanges; promoting integration of suicide risk screening, safety planning, and follow-up protocols into routine clinical practice; and identifying funding opportunities and partnerships to support implementation.

Additionally, the bill requires the Commissioner of Health to establish a voluntary zero suicide certification program and establish certification standards for the program. The bill provides for a limited exception for health care facilities and behavioral health care providers under certain circumstances. The bill also establishes a nonlapsing, revolving fund for implementation of the initiative. The Department of Health may use monies from the fund to provide grants to providers certified pursuant to the provisions of the bill under certain circumstances, support training programs, and provide technical assistance and Statewide coordination activities authorized by the bill.