§2 - Note

 

P.L. 2019, CHAPTER 210, approved August 5, 2019

Senate, No. 3323 (First Reprint)

 

 

An Act concerning the victim counseling service and amending P.L.1982, c.192.

 

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

 

     1.    Section 2 of P.L.1982, c.192 (C.52:4B-25) is amended to read as follows:

     2.    a.  1[(1)]1 The Victims of Crime Compensation [Agency] Office shall establish a victim counseling service which shall identify and develop sources to provide counseling to victims as defined in P.L.1971, c.317.  The service shall provide assistance to victims without charge, [which assistance shall include] including information and advice relative to filing a claim with the board, emergency food and clothing, employment opportunities, referral to 1violence intervention programs and1 other social service agencies, and in obtaining legal advice or representation.  The service shall be conducted at [such] locations within the State as the 1[agency] office1 deems advisable. 

     1[(2)  The victim counseling service shall establish a partnership with State-designated trauma centers to provide for the referral of victims who are trauma patients injured in a violent manner to violence intervention programs.]1

     b.    The [agency] office is authorized to appoint [such] personnel for the service as may be necessary to carry out its functions. Appointments made pursuant to this subsection shall be within the funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the agency for this purpose.

     c.     (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2007, c.95).

     d.    The [agency] office may also identify and develop sources to provide mental health counseling to victims, and provide victims with [such] information as may be appropriate through its victim counseling service.

(cf: P.L.2007, c.95, s.27)

 

     2.    This act shall take effect on the first day of the sixth month after enactment, provided however, the Commissioner of Health and the Executive Director of the Victims of Crime Compensation Office may take, prior to the effective date, any action needed to effectuate the provisions of this act.

                                

 

     Requires VCCO’s victim counseling service to partner with trauma centers to refer certain victims to violence intervention programs.