Advocacy E-news January 17, 2020
April 11, 2016
N.J. IS 1 STEP AWAY FROM UNIVERSAL DEPRESSION SCREENING FOR TEENS
New Jersey is one step away from universal depression screening in grades 7 through 12 following approval Monday by the state Senate and Assembly. Both houses passed a bill mandating annual depression screening in public schools, and it now heads to Gov. Phil Murphy to either sign or veto.
BILL TO HELP PREVENT LAW ENFORCEMENT SUICIDE CLEARS SENATE
More police officers die by suicide than in the line of duty, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Since 2016, 37 law enforcement officers in New Jersey have taken their own lives. Bipartisan legislation, A-1028/S-1730, would establish a training curriculum designed to prevent law enforcement officer suicide. The program would be created by the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety, in consultation with the Department of Human Services.
SENATE APPROVES BILL ON ILL EFFECTS OF SOCIAL ISOLATION
With more evidence of an increasing number of people experiencing the ill effects on their psychological and physical health because of social isolation, Senator Joe Cryan and Senator M. Teresa Ruiz have advanced legislation to study the impact on vulnerable populations. The legislation would create a task force to study how isolation and loneliness impact groups susceptible to health problems caused by detachment from social interaction. The study would assess and report on the nature and frequency of social isolation and determine available resources for combatting the social isolation.
BILL FOR COUNSELING EMERGENCY RESPONDERS PASSES SENATE
Legislation which would revise the requirements to provide counseling and support services to emergency services personnel following a traumatic incident, passed the Senate. The bill, S-3368, would require individuals providing counseling services to emergency services personnel to be certified by the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc. or a similar entity designated by the Commissioner of Health. These counselors would be required to provide documentation and annual proof of certification to any emergency services provider employing the services of the counselor.
GOVERNOR MURPHY SIGNS LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE PROTECTING THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT IN NEW JERSEY
Governor Phil Murphy has signed a package of bills to safeguard the provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in New Jersey. The bills, which will codify into state law the basic protections for health care consumers that are part of the Affordable Care Act, include protections for no-cost preventative care and contraception, prohibit exclusions for pre-existing conditions, allow children to stay on their parents’ plan until age 26, and incorporate mental health and maternity care as part of essential benefits, among others.
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