SENATE HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND SENIOR CITIZENS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 2431

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: MAY 9, 2013

      The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 2431.

      As reported, this bill permits a person with a developmental disability residing in a facility operated to provide services for persons with developmental disabilities, or the person’s legal guardian, when applicable, to use an audio recording device during a meeting of, or telephone or face-to-face conversation with, any member of the person’s interdisciplinary team and any psychiatrist contracted by the facility to provide consultation services, provided that the person or legal guardian notifies the other participants prior to the start of the meeting or conversation that a recording device will be used.

      An interdisciplinary team is responsible for the development of a single, integrated individual habilitation plan for a person with a developmental disability.  The team typically consists of: the person receiving services; the person’s legal guardian; the parents or family member of the person (at the preference of the person served or guardian); those individuals who work most directly with the person served; and professionals and representatives of service areas who are relevant to the identification of the person’s needs and the design and evaluation of programs to meet them.

      As reported, this bill is identical to Senate Bill No. 2386 (Buono/Vitale), which the committee also reported favorably on this date.