ASSEMBLY, No. 783

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 1996 SESSION

By Assemblywomen FARRAGHER and J. SMITH

An Act concerning narcotic and drug abuse treatment centers and supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statutes.

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

    1. This act shall be known and cited as the "Narcotic and Drug Abuse Treatment Center Accountability Act."

    2. In order to qualify to receive State funds or referrals from State courts, a narcotic and drug abuse treatment center, granted a certificate of approval by the Department of Health pursuant to P.L.1970, c.334 (C.26:2G-21 et seq.), shall:

    a. Submit an annual report to the department which includes, but is not limited to:

    (1) the total number of clients and the number of referrals to the drug abuse treatment center made by the Department of Corrections and the State courts;

    (2) a detailed evaluation of the drug abuse treatment center's program goals and its annual budget; and

    (3) each client's criminal history, educational and employment progress as well as the results of randomly administered drug tests before, during, and a minimum of one year after, the client's treatment.

    b. Incorporate random and periodic drug testing into their programs and include the testing as a part of the center's follow-up on each client.

    3. In addition to other requirements pursuant to P.L.1970, c.334 (C.26:2G-21 et seq.), the Division of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse in the Department of Health shall:

    a. establish an inventory of all narcotic and drug abuse treatment centers; and

    b. verify and anaylze the information required of narcotic and drug abuse treatment centers pursuant to section 2 of this act;

    4. The Director of the Division of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse shall report to the Governor and the Legislature on or before December 30 of each year. The report shall summarize the information required of all narcotic and drug abuse treatment centers pursuant to this act, provide an assessment of the State's drug treatment centers' programs and document the amount of State funds and or referrals received by each drug abuse treatment center.

    5. Pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), the Commissioner of Health shall adopt all rules and regulations necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act.

    6. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

    This bill requires all narcotic and drug abuse treatment centers to provide certain information on its programs in order to be eligible for State funds or referrals from State courts. The information would include:

    a. the total number of clients and the number of referrals to the drug abuse treatment center made by the Department of Corrections and the State courts;

    b. a detailed evaluation of the drug abuse treatment center's program goals and its annual budget; and

    c. each client's criminal history, educational and employment progress as well as the results of randomly administered drug tests before, during, and a minimum of one year after, the client's treatment.

    The narcotic and drug abuse treatment centers would also be required to incorporate random and periodic drug testing into their programs and to monitor their clients for at least one year after leaving the program.

    Under the bill's provisions, the Division of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse would be responsible for monitoring the activities of all the narcotic and drug abuse treatment centers by establishing an inventory of all drug abuse treatment centers and verifying and analyzing information the centers are required to report to the division. The director of the division would be responsible for reporting to the Governor and the Legislature annually on the activities of all narcotic and drug abuse treatment centers. The report would summarize the information required from all narcotic and drug abuse treatment centers in order to become eligible for State funds or referrals from State courts, provide an assessment of the State's narcotic and drug treatment center programs and identify the amount of State funds and or referrals received by each narcotic and drug abuse treatment center.

Designated the "Narcotic and Drug Abuse Treatment Center Accountability Act."