LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE

[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 5314

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

218th LEGISLATURE

 

DATED: JUNE 17, 2019

 

 

SUMMARY

 

Synopsis:

Requires DHS to study social isolation occurring in certain population groups.

Type of Impact:

Indeterminate increase in State expenditures, General Fund.

Agencies Affected:

Department of Human Services

 

 

Office of Legislative Services Estimate

Fiscal Impact

Annual 

 

State Costs

Indeterminate impact

 

 

 

 

·         The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) estimates that this bill will increase State expenditures in the General Fund for a new Department of Human Services (DHS) survey assessing and reporting on the nature and prevalence of social isolation in vulnerable populations, as well as available resources for addressing social isolation among these populations. 

 

·         The cost of surveying, assessing, and reporting on the frequency of social isolation among vulnerable populations cannot be quantified with any certainty as: 1) the Commissioner of Human Services is granted broad discretion in determining, beyond the four populations specified in the bill, any additional populations to assess, thereby influencing the size and scope of the survey, and 2) the Commissioner may, as permitted under the bill, utilize data already gathered by other State, county, and municipal agencies. To the extent that there are existing data at the State or local level that DHS can utilize, State costs will be reduced.

 

·         For vulnerable populations for which there are no available data on social isolation, the Commissioner may opt to utilize or adapt assessment tools developed by universities, professional associations, veterans’ groups, public interest organizations, or other states.  


 

·         The DHS may incur additional costs associated with researching and compiling information on available resources for combating social isolation for some relevant groups.  For other vulnerable populations, such as senior citizens, this information is already compiled and readily accessible to DHS. 

 

·         Finally, the Department will realize additional costs associated with analyzing the data collected for each population and producing separate social isolation reports, each of which addresses a different vulnerable population in the State.

 

 

BILL DESCRIPTION

 

      This bill would require the Commissioner of Human Services to assess and report on the nature and frequency of social isolation occurring in the State, and the resources that are available to combat social isolation.  Each assessment and report will be required to focus on, but need not be limited to, an analysis of social isolation affecting the following vulnerable populations:  1) individuals who are 65 years of age or older; 2) individuals with disabilities, with this term interpreted expansively; 3) individuals with mental illness; and 4) other vulnerable populations, as deemed by the Commissioner to be appropriate, including military veterans. 

      In conducting social isolation assessments, DHS would be required to review available data and research materials on social isolation; review the practices of other states and jurisdictions in this area; consult with appropriate professionals, organizations, and agencies throughout the State that provide counseling, health care, mental health care, support care, or other social or daily living assistance, to members of vulnerable populations; consult with members of vulnerable populations, and the family members or caregivers of such individuals, who are currently seeking treatment or care for social isolation; consult with educational institutions and other educational or public interest organizations in the State, which are actively involved in the study or research of matters related to social isolation; and consult with State, county, and municipal departments and agencies.

      Each report prepared under the bill would indicate:  1) the frequency of social isolation occurring among members of each vulnerable population, and the number and percentage of individuals in vulnerable populations who are susceptible, but not yet experiencing, social isolation; 2) the demographic and other characteristics that are held in common by the members of vulnerable populations who are experiencing, or are susceptible to, social isolation; 3) the symptoms and other indicators of social isolation; 4) the circumstantial and situational factors that contribute to social isolation; 5) the State resources that are available to help individuals recognize, address, and recover from, social isolation; 6) the ways in which other states and jurisdictions have addressed issues of social isolation occurring in their communities; and 7) the ways in which the available State resources for social isolation are lacking and could be improved.  Each report would also be required to provide an analysis of trends in this area, and recommendations for legislative, executive, or other action that can be taken to prevent or redress instances of social isolation occurring in the State, particularly among vulnerable populations; and to otherwise improve the accessibility and effectiveness of available resources and supports for socially isolated individuals.

      Each report prepared under the bill is to be filed with the Governor and Legislature, and is also to be posted on the DHS website.


 

FISCAL ANALYSIS

 

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

 

      None received.

 

OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES

 

      The OLS estimates that implementing the requirements of the bill will increase State expenditures from the General Fund by an indeterminate amount.  Without information from the Executive, however, the OLS cannot quantify the ongoing costs that the DHS will incur to develop an assessment tool to gauge social isolation, survey vulnerable populations, analyze the resulting data, and produce a separate report on social isolation for each relevant population on a biennial basis. 

      Assuming that the DHS will, to the extent possible, utilize data collected by other State, county, and municipal agencies, data-gathering costs will be minimized.  For vulnerable groups of citizens for which there are no existing data on social isolation, OLS presumes that the DHS will utilize or adapt assessment tools developed by New Jersey universities, professional associations, veterans’ groups, public interest organizations, or other states.  Additionally, the task of locating and assessing members of certain vulnerable populations may prove challenging; for example, it may be somewhat difficult for DHS staff to survey undocumented immigrants about social isolation, because some undocumented individuals may be reluctant to interact with government employees.  Therefore, DHS may realize higher costs associated with gathering information from some at-risk populations, compared with other populations.

      For some of the surveyed populations, DHS will incur additional costs to research and compile information on available resources to help combat social isolation. The bill requires the Department to include this resource information in its biennial report to the Governor and the Legislature, which is to be posted on the Department’s public website. For other vulnerable populations, such as senior citizens, this resource information is already compiled and readily accessible to DHS.  The Department will also incur administrative costs to analyze the survey data and prepare a separate report for each pre-identified group of vulnerable citizens.

      Since the bill permits the DHS to consult with and, whenever possible, utilize existing data collected by other State, county or municipal agencies, the OLS assumes that the Department will fulfill the requirements of the bill with existing employees.  Therefore, the Department will not incur additional personnel costs in implementing the provisions of this legislation.

 

 

Section:

Human Services

Analyst:

Anne Cappabianca

Assistant Fiscal Analyst

Approved:

Frank W. Haines III

Legislative Budget and Finance Officer

 

 

This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).