Bill > S2447

Introduced Session

This bill establishes a toll free helpline for first responders, health care workers, and other frontline workers experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder. Under the bill, the Department of Health (DOH) is to establish, in coordination with University Behavioral HealthCare of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (Rutgers), a toll free helpline for first responders, health care workers, and other frontline workers experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder due to their work during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. The helpline is to be accessible 24 hours a day, seven days per week and is to respond to calls from first responders, health care workers, other frontline workers, and their families. The operators of the helpline are to seek to identify first responders, health care workers, other frontline workers, and their families who should be referred to further peer support and counseling services, and provide referrals. To the greatest extent possible, the operators of the help line, are to be (1) familiar with post-traumatic stress disorder and the emotional and psychological tensions, depressions, and anxieties unique to first responders, health care workers, other frontline workers, and their families or (2) trained to provide counseling services involving marriage and family life, substance abuse, personal stress management, and other emotional or psychological disorders or conditions which may be likely to adversely affect the personal and service related well-being of first responders, health care workers, other frontline workers, and their families. The bill provides that the DOH and Rutgers are to provide for the confidentiality of the names of the persons calling, the information discussed, and any referrals for further peer support or counseling; provided, however, the DOH and Rutgers may establish guidelines providing for the tracking of any person who exhibits a severe emotional or psychological disorder or condition which the operator handling the call reasonably believes might result in harm to the first responder, health care worker, other frontline worker, or any other person. "Frontline worker" means a person who provides an essential service or key public service, including, but not limited to, employees of the Division of Child Protection and Permanency in the Department of Children and Families.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Tony Bucco (R)*,  Troy Singleton (D)*,  Vin Gopal (D),  Jim Holzapfel (R),  Fred Madden (D),  Declan O'Scanlon (R),  Nellie Pou (D), 

Referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee (on 07/22/2020)

Official Document