Bill > A2874

Introduced Session

Under current law, a minor, 16 years of age or older, who believes that he or she is in need of behavioral health care services can consent to temporary outpatient treatment under the supervision of a licensed health care professional, excluding the use or administration of medication, as if the minor had achieved the age of majority. This bill lowers the age at which a minor can consent to such treatment from 16 years of age or older to 14 years of age or older. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among New Jersey teens. Between 2016 and 2018, the number of suicide deaths among persons ages of ten and 24 in New Jersey was 291. During the early stages of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, adolescents accounted for a higher proportion of suicides in the United States than in the years prior to the pandemic and the subsequent lockdown. Five states, including New Jersey, had an increase in the absolute count of adolescent suicides during the pandemic. These states also had an increase in the proportion of overall suicides among adolescents. Twenty-four states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have enacted laws allowing minors to consent to some type of behavioral or mental health treatment, and ten states allow minors between the ages of 12 and 15 to consent to such treatment. It is the sponsor's intent to address the issue of, and facilitate efforts to prevent, teen suicide by lowering the age at which a minor, who believes that he or she is in need of behavioral health treatment services, can consent to such services.

AI Summary

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Jessica Ramirez (D)*,  Anthony Verrelli (D)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Children, Families and Food Security Committee (on 01/09/2024)

Official Document