Bill > A1512

Introduced Session

This bill allows operators of the New Jersey Suicide Hopeline to place follow-up telephone calls to minors, 16 years of age or older who place calls to the hotline for counseling and support and who are identified as being at a high risk of committing suicide, without having to obtain the consent or authorization of the minor's parent. Under current guidelines governing suicide hotlines established by the National Suicide Prevention Helpline, operators of such hotlines are prohibited from placing follow-up calls to minors who they identify as being at a high risk of committing suicide without the consent or authorization of the minor's parent. The bill amends section 1 of P.L.1968, c.230 (C.9:17A-4) to stipulate that when a minor who is 16 years of age or older believes that he or she is in need of behavioral health care services for the treatment of mental illness or emotional disorders and places a call to, or is transferred from, another hotline to, the New Jersey Suicide Hopeline for counseling and support, the minor would be allowed to receive a follow-up telephone call from the operator of the hotline without the minor's consent, parental consent or authorization. Presently, minors can consent to certain types of temporary, outpatient, behavioral health, and substance use disorder treatment services. Current law does not allow minors to receive follow-up calls from the operators of suicide hotlines without parental consent. The bill also specifies that a follow-up call pursuant to the bill does not constitute behavioral health treatment, diagnosis, or clinical care, and that the call shall be considered brief supportive communication solely for suicide prevention purposes. The New Jersey Suicide Hopeline is a Statewide suicide prevention hotline provided in partnership with Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care and the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in the Department of Human Services. In 2018, the hotline received approximately 15,488 calls from youth under the age of 25. Research shows there is a significant benefit to follow-up telephone calls from operators of suicide hotlines to youth who are in crisis and at high risk for suicide. Allowing the operators of the New Jersey Suicide Hopeline to make follow-up calls to minors who are at a high risk to commit suicide would help in the prevention of youth suicide in the State.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Clinton Calabrese (D)*,  Michael Venezia (D)*,  Anthony Verrelli (D)*,  Vicky Flynn (R),  Annette Quijano (D),  William Sampson (D),  Gerry Scharfenberger (R), 

Withdrawn Because Approved P.L.2025, c.238. (on 01/13/2026)

Official Document