Sponsored by:
Senator ANTHONY M. BUCCO
District 25 (Morris and Somerset)
Senator VIN GOPAL
District 11 (Monmouth)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senators Madden and Pou
SYNOPSIS
Requires health care facilities to screen health care workers, first responders, and other frontline workers for symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder related to COVID-19 pandemic.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee on July 22, 2020, with amendments.
An Act concerning post-traumatic stress disorder and supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statues.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Health care facilities licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.) shall establish procedures to screen health care workers 1[,] and1 first responders 1[, and other frontline workers]1 , upon intake for inpatient or outpatient services, for the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder related to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Each facility shall implement measures to avoid performing redundant screenings on a given health care worker 1[,] or1 first responder 1[, or other frontline worker]1 , both at the same facility and at other facilities in the State, unless the individual requests a subsequent screening or a subsequent screening appears to be clinically appropriate. Health care workers 1[,] and1 first responders 1[, and other frontline workers]1 presenting at a facility for health care services shall have the right to refuse to be screened for the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder related to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the event a health care worker 1[,] or1 first responder 1[, or other frontline worker]1 screens positive for the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the facility shall offer to assist the individual with referrals to appropriate treatment resources and shall provide the individual with a link to the informational resources published on the Internet 1[websites] website1 of the 1[Department of Health and the]1 Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in the Department of Human Services pursuant to subsection c. of this section.
b. Health care facilities employing health care workers 1[,] or1 first responders 1[, or other frontline workers]1 who provided services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic or who provided essential services during the COVID-19 pandemic shall ensure that those health care workers 1[,] and1 first responders 1[, and other frontline workers]1 are provided with information about the resources that are available concerning 1[to]1 post-traumatic stress disorder related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including, but not limited to, employee assistance programs and a link to the informational resources published on the Internet 1[websites] website1 of the 1[Department of Health and the]1 Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in the Department of Human Services pursuant to subsection c. of this section.
c. The 1[Department of Health and the]1 Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in the Department of Human Services 1, in consultation with the Department of Health,1 shall:
(1) 1[jointly] identify or1 develop a screening tool for post-traumatic stress disorder related to the COVID-19 pandemic, along with guidance concerning the use of the screening tool, for use by health care facilities for the purposes of conducting screenings pursuant to subsection a. of this section;
(2) publish on 1[their respective Internet websites] on the division’s Internet website1 information and a list of available resources related to treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, including links to appropriate third-party resource providers, for use by health care facilities in connection with subsections a. and b. of this section; and
(3) provide such other resources and implement such other programs and initiatives as 1[each shall determine] the division determines1 to be appropriate to meet the clinical needs of health care workers 1[,] and1 first responders 1[, and other frontline workers]1 experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
1d. The Department of Health shall include on its Internet website a link to the informational resources published on the Internet website of the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in the Department of Human Services pursuant to subsection c. of this section.1
2. This act shall take effect 60 days after the date of enactment.