[First Reprint]
ASSEMBLY, No. 389
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 1996 SESSION
By Assemblywoman HECK and Assemblyman STUHLTRAGER
An Act establishing regional diagnostic and treatment centers for child abuse 1 and neglect 1 and making an appropriation.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Commissioner of Human Services shall establish four regional diagnostic and treatment centers for child abuse 1 and neglect1 affiliated with 1medical1 teaching 1[hospitals] institutions1 in the State that meet the standards adopted by the commissioner, in consultation with the Governor's Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect. The regional centers shall be located in the northern, north central, south central and southern regions of the State. 1 Each center shall have experience in addressing the medical and mental health diagnostic and treatment needs of abused and neglected children in the region in which it is located.1
2. Each center shall 1[provide a multidisciplinary team trained in] demonstrate a multidisciplinary approach to1 identifying and responding to child abuse 1 and neglect 1 . The 1[team] center staff1 shall include, at a minimum, a pediatrician, a consulting psychiatrist, a psychologist and a social worker who are trained to evaluate and treat children who have been abused 1or neglected1 and their families. Each 1[multidisciplinary team shall also include a representative of] center shall establish a liaison with1 the district office of the Division of Youth and Family Services in the Department of Human Services and 1[a representative of]1 the prosecutor's office from the county in which the child who is undergoing evaluation and treatment resides. 1 At least one member of the staff shall also have an appropriate professional credential or significant training and experience in the identification and treatment of substance abuse.1
1[A member of the team shall be selected as an advocate of the child to ensure that any action taken is in the best interest of the child.] Each center shall develop an intake, referral and case tracking process which assists the division and prosecutor's office in assuring that child victims receive appropriate and timely diagnostic and treatment services.1
3. The regional centers shall: evaluate and treat child abuse 1 and neglect1 ; be resources for the region and develop additional resources within the region; provide training and consultative services; 1 and1 be available for emergency 1phone1 consultation 24 hours a day 1[; and be accessible to all child victims]1 . The centers shall also be a source for research and training for additional medical and mental health personnel dedicated to the identification and treatment of child abuse 1and neglect1 .
The regional center may charge a sliding scale fee for services provided under this act.
4. Services provided by the 1[multidisciplinary team] center's staff 1 shall include, but not be limited to:
a. Providing psychological and medical evaluation and treatment of the child 1[and],1 counseling for family members 1and substance abuse assessment and mental health and substance abuse counseling for the parents or guardians of the child1;
b. Providing referral for appropriate social services and medical care;
c. Providing testimony regarding alleged child abuse 1or neglect 1 at judicial proceedings;
d. Providing treatment recommendations for the child and 1 mental health and substance abuse treatment recommendations for 1 his family, and 1[may provide] providing mental health and substance abuse1 treatment recommendations for persons convicted of child abuse 1or neglect1 ;
e. Receiving referrals from the Division of Youth and Family Services and the county prosecutor's office and assisting them in any investigation of child abuse 1 or neglect1 ;
f. Providing educational material and seminars on child abuse 1 and neglect1 and the services the center provides to children, parents, teachers, law enforcement officials, the judiciary, attorneys and other citizens.
5. The regional center shall ensure the safety of a child undergoing treatment while the child is at the regional center to the extent permitted by law. The appropriate law enforcement officials and protective services providers shall continue to ensure the safety of the child to the extent permitted by law.
6. Regional centers shall 1[encourage and assist counties to establish a multidisciplinary team to assist the county prosecutor and the Division of Youth and Family Services in an investigation of child abuse] act as a resource in the establishment and maintenance of county-based multidisciplinary teams which work in conjunction with the county prosecutor and the Division of Youth and Family Services in the investigation of child abuse and neglect in the county in which the child who is undergoing evaluation and treatment resides1. The Commissioner of Human Services, in consultation with the Governor's Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect, shall establish standards for a county team. The county team shall consist of representatives of the following disciplines: law enforcement; child protective services; mental health; 1substance abuse identification and treatment; and1 medicine 1[; and education]1 , all of whom have been trained to recognize child abuse 1and neglect1 . The county team shall provide: facilitation of the investigation, management and disposition of cases of criminal child abuse 1 and neglect1 ; referral services to the regional diagnostic center; appropriate referrals to medical and social service agencies; information regarding the identification and treatment of child abuse 1 and neglect1 ; and appropriate follow-up care for abused children and their families.
7. There is established a 1[14] 151 member Diagnostic and Treatment Advisory Council to oversee the programs of the regional centers, help facilitate communications among the centers, county teams, law enforcement officials and the Division of Youth and Family Services, develop standards of care for the treatment of child abuse, and help coordinate any research it deems appropriate. The council shall consist of: the Commissioners of the Departments of Human Services, Health 1and Senior Services1 and Education, and the Attorney General, or their designees; the Director of the Division of Youth and Family Services; the directors of the four regional centers; a physician; a social worker; a psychologist; 1 a certified alcohol and drug abuse counselor or other professional appropriately credentialed to identify and treat substance abuse;1 an advocate for abused 1and neglected1 children; and a person who has utilized the services of a center. The Governor shall appoint the 1 [five] six1 public members of the council, who shall serve as members for three years.
The advisory council shall report annually to the Governor and the Legislature regarding the effectiveness of the regional centers and shall make recommendations for improvements or changes.
8. The Commissioner of Human Services shall adopt rules and regulations pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act" P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.) necessary to effectuate the provisions of this act.
9. There is appropriated $1.5 million from the General Fund to the Department of Human Services to carry out the purposes of this act.
10. This act shall take effect immediately.
Establishes four regional diagnostic and treatment centers for child abuse; appropriates $1.5 million.