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Bill > S2006

NJ S2006

NJ S2006
Requires certain providers to perform intimate partner violence screenings and all health care professionals to take certain actions to prevent perpetrator of intimate partner violence from obtaining copies of victim's medical record.

summary

Introduced
01/09/2024
In Committee
01/09/2024
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
01/12/2026

Introduced Session

2024-2025 Regular Session

Bill Summary

This bill would require certain health care providers in the State, including licensed physicians, advanced practice nurses, physician assistants, certified midwives, certified professional midwives, and certified nurse midwives, to conduct a periodic intimate partner violence screenings of patients in accordance with nationally recognized evidence-based guidelines. The bill requires providers to document the findings from each screening in the patient's medical record and requires any health care professional who documents evidence or findings of intimate partner violence in a patient's medical record to advise the patient that the patient may take appropriate action to prevent the disclosure of the patient's medical record to the perpetrator of the intimate partner violence. Under the bill, an intimate partner violence screening performed under the bill is to be performed in a private area, which may include screening the patient using telemedicine and telehealth or by the patient self-administering the screening using a paper-based or electronic screening instrument. If, based on a screening performed pursuant to this bill, a provider finds that a patient is or may be a victim of intimate partner violence, the provider will required to provide the patient: 1) during the same visit, with a list of resources and services that are available in the State and region to assist and protect victims of intimate violence; and 2) with referrals to other appropriate health care providers, as deemed by the provider to be necessary to help the patient fully address the physical or mental consequences of the intimate violence. The Department of Children and Families and the Department of Health, will be required to make available to providers in the State, and update on at least a biennial basis a list identifying all of the resources and services that are available in the State, and in each region of the State, to assist and protect victims of intimate partner violence.

AI Summary

This bill mandates that certain healthcare providers, including doctors, advanced practice nurses, physician assistants, and midwives, must regularly screen their patients for intimate partner violence, which is defined as abuse inflicted by someone with whom the patient has or had a close relationship. These screenings must follow national guidelines and be conducted privately, potentially through telemedicine or self-administered questionnaires, and the results must be documented in the patient's medical record. If a patient is identified as a potential victim, the provider must immediately offer them a list of local resources and services for victims and refer them to other necessary healthcare professionals. Additionally, any healthcare professional who documents evidence of intimate partner violence must inform the patient that they can take steps to prevent the abuser from accessing their medical records, and if the abuser was previously authorized to receive these records, the patient must be given the opportunity to remove them from the authorization list. The Departments of Children and Families and Health will be responsible for creating and updating a biennial list of available victim support resources for providers.

Committee Categories

Health and Social Services

Sponsors (3)

Last Action

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee (on 01/09/2024)
(3 Companion Bills)

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