STATE OF NEW JERSEY
219th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2020 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman CAROL A. MURPHY
District 7 (Burlington)
Assemblyman WAYNE P. DEANGELO
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
Assemblyman DANIEL R. BENSON
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman Reynolds-Jackson and Assemblyman Dancer
SYNOPSIS
Requires DMVA conduct outcomes and efficacy study of veteran to veteran peer support helpline.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act requiring the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to conduct a study on the outcomes and efficacy of the veteran to veteran peer support helpline.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, or a designee, shall conduct a two-year study on the outcomes and efficacy of the veteran to veteran peer support helpline, established pursuant to section 2 of P.L.2011, c.116 (C.38A:13-11) and commonly referred to as the vet to vet hotline, and shall prepare and submit a written report to the Legislature, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), within six months of the conclusion of the study. The study shall be based on an analysis of national suicide data and data collected from the helpline, and shall include, but not be limited to:
(1) the efficacy of the helpline in leading veterans to sustained mental health regimens and suicide prevention;
(2) the helpline’s visibility;
(3) the role of the helpline as part of the department’s mental health care services;
(4) whether receiving sustained mental health care services affects suicidality and whether veterans previously receiving department mental health care services use the helpline in times of crisis;
(5) the helpline's effectiveness in assisting veterans at risk for suicide when contacted by a non-veteran;
(6) the helpline’s overall efficacy in preventing suicides and whether the number of contacts affects such efficacy;
(7) the helpline’s long-term efficacy in preventing repeated suicide attempts and when such efficacy is temporary;
(8) when referral to mental health care services affects the risk of suicide; and
(9) the helpline’s efficacy in promoting continued mental health care for those veterans who are at high risk for suicide and whose suicide was prevented.
b. In addition to the written report submitted pursuant to subsection a. of this section, the Adjutant General, or a designee, may submit a proposal for legislation that improves the laws of this State regarding the efficacy of the veteran to veteran peer support helpline.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to conduct a study on the outcomes and efficacy of the veteran to veteran peer support helpline, commonly referred to as the vet to vet hotline, and to submit a report of its findings to the Legislature, and permits the Adjutant General to submit a proposal for legislation that improves the laws of this State regarding the efficacy of the veteran to veteran peer support helpline. The study will be for a two-year period and will be based on an analysis of national suicide data and data collected from the helpline.
The study will include, but not be limited to:
(1) the efficacy of the helpline in leading veterans to sustained mental health regimens and suicide prevention;
(2) the helpline’s visibility;
(3) the role of the helpline as part of the department’s mental health care services;
(4) whether receiving sustained mental health care services affects suicidality and whether veterans previously receiving department mental health care services use the helpline in times of crisis;
(5) the helpline's effectiveness in assisting veterans at risk for suicide when contacted by a non-veteran;
(6) the helpline’s overall efficacy in preventing suicides and whether the number of contacts affects such efficacy;
(7) the lines long-term efficacy in preventing repeated suicide attempts and when such efficacy is temporary;
(8) when referral to mental health care services affects the risk of suicide; and
(9) the helpline’s efficacy in promoting continued mental health care for those veterans who are at high risk for suicide and whose suicide was prevented.