LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE TO

[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 394

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: May 17, 1996

      Assembly Bill No. 394(1R) of 1996 establishes an Office of the Ombudsman for the Disabled in, but not of, the Department of Health (DOH). The office would monitor State agencies which provide services to individuals with disabilities and provide the following:

∙    Outreach services.

∙    Referrals to appropriate social services and health care agencies.

∙    Assistance, as requested, in arranging health social and rehabilitative services.

∙    Representation in appealing State agency decisions.

∙    Maintaining a toll-free telephone number.

            DOH and the Office of Management and Budget have not provided any fiscal information on the legislation.

      The FY 1997 budget recommends nearly $625,000 (gross) for the Office of the Ombudsman for the Institutionalized Elderly. Accordingly, it is not unreasonable to estimate the cost of the Office of the Ombudsman for the Disabled in the $600,000 range when fully operational.

      If, however, the State were to eliminate or reduce monies it now provides to private, nonprofit agencies for services that the new office is to provide, then there should be no overall increase in State expenditures. It should be noted that under federal law, the New Jersey Developmental Disabilities Council is the main advocacy organization for persons with developmental disabilities.

      This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.

This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67.