SENATE, No. 1543
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
INTRODUCED OCTOBER 3, 1996
By Senators CODEY, MARTIN, Bassano and MacInnes
An Act concerning State psychiatric facilities and supplementing Title 30 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. As used in this act, "nursing direct care staff" means a Human Services Assistant, Human Services Technician or a nurse licensed pursuant to Title 45 of the Revised Statutes.
2. a. The Department of Human Services shall provide in-service, on-site training pursuant to this section for all nursing direct care staff and support staff who have direct contact with patients, including but not limited to, housekeeping, engineering, grounds, and food service staff, at a State psychiatric facility listed in R.S.30:1-7.
b. The chief executive officer, or his designee, of a State psychiatric facility shall designate and train employees from within the facility to be the instructors for the in-service, on-site training program established pursuant to this section.
c. The in-service, on-site training shall include:
(1) sensitivity training to encourage nursing direct care staff to interact with patients;
(2) an abuse prevention program which is designed to train nursing direct care staff and support staff to recognize probable incidents of or behavior that constitutes patient abuse or professional misconduct, educate and empower employees and patients and which shall include discussions in ward community groups concerning abuse, rights of staff and patients, and procedures for reporting abuse pursuant to P.L. , c. (C. )(now pending before the Legislature as Senate Bill No. );
(3) cultural training which addresses racial issues;
(4) an equivalency degree program, pursuant to section 3 of this act, for Human Services Assistants and Human Services Technicians who do not hold a high school diploma; and
(5) an extensive orientation program for new employees.
d. Nursing direct care staff and support staff employed on the effective date of this act shall successfully complete the training program, as provided in paragraphs (1), (2), (3) and (5) of subsection c. of this section, within 18 months of the effective date of this act.
e. Nursing direct care staff and support staff hired after the effective date of this act shall successfully complete the training program, as provided in paragraphs (1), (2), (3) and (5) of subsection c. of this section within one year of their date of hire.
f. Subject to the provisions of Title 11A of the New Jersey Statutes, if an employee does not successfully complete the training program as provided in this act, within the allotted time periods specified in this act, he shall be subject to salary and promotion limitations or demotions, and in the case of deliberate noncompliance with the training program, removal from employment.
g. Nothing herein shall preclude the Commissioner of Human Services from providing training pursuant to this section to a person employed by a private entity under contract with the State to provide contracted services at a State psychiatric hospital.
3. a. A Human Services Assistant or Human Services Technician employed on the effective date of this act, who does not hold an equivalency degree or high school diploma, shall complete that degree or diploma as part of in-service, on-site training by January 1, 1999.
b. Effective January 1, 1999, a Human Services Assistant or Human Services Technician shall not be hired unless he has successfully completed one year of schooling in a four-year or two-year college or one year of nursing in an accredited nursing program.
c. Effective January 1, 1999, any Human Services Assistant who has successfully completed one year of schooling in a four-year or two-year college or one year of nursing in an accredited nursing program shall earn a minimum base salary of $25,000, based on a 35- hour work week.
4. The Commissioner of Human Services, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), shall adopt rules and regulations to effectuate the purposes of this act.
5. This act shall take effect 60 days after enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Department of Human Services to provide in-service, on-site training for all nursing direct care staff and support staff who have direct contact with patients at a State psychiatric facility. The chief executive officer, or his designee, shall designate and train employees from within the facility to be the instructors.
The in-service, on-site training shall include:
∙ sensitivity training to encourage nursing direct care staff to interact with patients;
∙ an abuse prevention program which is designed to train nursing direct care staff and support staff to recognize probable incidents of or behavior that constitutes patient abuse or professional misconduct, educate and empower employees and patients and which shall include discussions in ward community groups concerning abuse, rights of staff and patients, and procedures for reporting abuse pursuant to P.L. , c. (C. )(now pending before the Legislature as Senate Bill No. );
∙ cultural training which addresses racial issues;
∙ an equivalency degree program for Human Services Assistants and Human Services Technicians who do not hold a high school diploma; and
∙ an extensive orientation program for new employees.
The provisions of the bill require that a Human Services Assistant or Human Services Technician employed on the effective date of the bill, who does not hold an equivalency degree or high school diploma, shall complete that degree or diploma as part of in-service, on-site training by January 1, 1999. Also as of January 1, 1999, a Human Services Assistant or Human Services Technician shall not be hired unless he has successfully completed one year of schooling in a four-year or two-year college or one year of nursing in an accredited nursing program. Additionally, as of January 1, 1999, any Human Services Assistant who has successfully completed one year of schooling in a college or one year of nursing in an accredited nursing program shall earn a minimum base salary of $25,000, based on a 35-hour work week. In addition to increasing the salary level for newly hired Human Services Assistants who meet the new educational requirements, the bill further provides an incentive for current Human Services Assistants to seek a higher level of education, and as a result, earn a higher salary.
Subject to the provisions of Title 11A of the New Jersey Statutes, the "Civil Service Act," if an employee does not successfully complete the training program within the allotted time periods, he shall be subject to salary and promotion limitations or demotions and in the case of deliberate noncompliance with the training program, removal from employment.
Lastly, this bill would not preclude the Commissioner of Human Services from providing training to a person employed by a private entity under contract with the State to provide contracted services at a State psychiatric hospital.
This legislation is part of a package of bills which was recommended in the Final Report of the Senate Task Force on Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital, June 1996, and is designed to improve the care provided in the State's psychiatric facilities. The task force believes that the training program, as provided for in this legislation, will provide staff with the training necessary to provide enhanced patient care and will reduce the frequency of patient abuse and neglect.
Requires Department of Human Services to provide in-service, on-site training at State psychiatric facilities.