Bill > A2276

Introduced Session

This bill establishes a program in the Department of Health for health care providers to identify and respond to patients who may be victims of domestic violence. According to the New Jersey Domestic Violence Fatality and Near Fatality Review Board, numerous victims in this State who were killed by their domestic abusers had contact with health care professionals prior to their deaths. According to a report of the review board, there is a need for more health care providers to accurately assess the presence of domestic violence when treating a patient. It is the sponsor's intent to provide health professionals in this State with the necessary tools to identify signs of domestic violence and provide victims with resources to seek help in order to reduce the devastating consequences of domestic violence. In implementing the program established under the bill, the commissioner is required to develop and implement the following:· an educational program for all health care professionals regarding the causes and nature of domestic violence, risk factors, and preventive measures; and available resources for victims of domestic violence;· a training program for health care professionals to screen patients during the course of a medical examination or treatment to determine whether the patient may be a victim of domestic violence; conduct a comprehensive evaluation and assessment to identify indicators that a patient may be a victim of domestic violence; appropriately document in a patient's medical record any indicators of domestic violence; and provide patients who may be victims of domestic violence with information regarding resources that are available in the community; and· educational materials for health professionals to make available to patients seeking medical care regarding the causes and nature of domestic violence, risk factors, and preventive measures; and the availability of resources for victims of domestic violence. The provisions of the bill require the commissioner to seek to establish public-private partnerships to promote outreach and increase awareness among health care providers and community-based organizations, and coalitions who offer assistance to victims of domestic violence. The commissioner also is required to establish procedures for coordinating and collecting data for the purposes of evaluating the effectiveness of the program in reducing the incidence of domestic violence and overall health care costs, and compile an annual report to be submitted to the Governor and Legislature. Under the bill, the commissioner also is required to seek to secure the use of funds or other resources from private nonprofit or for-profit sources or the federal government that may be available, which are to be used to supplement, and not supplant, State funds used to carry out the purposes of this bill.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Shama Haider (D)*,  Yvonne Lopez (D)*,  Shanique Speight (D)*,  Gabriel Rodriguez (D), 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Health Committee (on 01/09/2024)

Official Document