Local news- Press Release
New Jersey League of Municipalities New Jersey - Community Crisis Response Pilot Legislation Advances 05 January 2024 ( news )
New Jersey League of Municipalities , state New Jersey ( By Press Release office)
Jan 05,2024
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The
A - 5326/S - 4250was favorably released from the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee on January 4 . This legislation establishes the Community Crisis Response Advisory Council and launches a pilot program for Community Crisis Response Teams .
The 13 - member Community Crisis Response Advisory Council would be created to guide best practices and recommendations for community crisis response . The Council will include the Deputy Commissioner of Public Health Services , the Assistant Commissioner of the Division of HIV , STD , and TB Services , the Director of Emergency Medical Services , the Attorney General , the Division of Violence Intervention and Victim Assistance Executive Director , the Division of Fire Safety Director , and seven public members appointed by the Governor , with recommendations from the Senate President and the Speaker of the General Assembly .
The Deputy Commissioner of Public Health Services will serve as the chairperson , and the members will meet at least six times a year . All meetings will be open to the public , with agendas , minutes , and related documents made available online . Public members will serve for three - year terms and can be reappointed , while the Council will be supported by state , county , and municipal departments and agencies .
The Commissioner of Health will be tasked with establishing a pilot program in Camden , Essex , Hudson , Mercer , Middlesex , and Passaic Counties . This program will allow eligible municipalities and community - based organizations to operate community crisis response teams . The Commissioner will develop a request for proposals , review submissions , create a scoring panel , and issue grant awards . The Council will not be involved in the grant award process , and affiliated organizations will not be disqualified from applying .
Grants will be used for project planning , community engagement , staffing , facilities , operational costs , training , program evaluation , and service interventions prioritizing human services over law enforcement . Eligible applicants will need to demonstrate a relationship with a State - approved harm reduction center or similar services and engage the community in the development of their community crisis response team .
The Commissioner will submit annual reports on the pilot program ' s status and a final report three years after enactment , outlining outcomes and recommendations for expanding community crisis response models in New Jersey . A sum of $12 million will be appropriated from the General Fund to support the council ' s activities and the pilot program . The Department of Health will adopt necessary regulations on an expedited basis to implement the act ' s purposes .
Contact: Andrew LaFevre , LegislativeAnalyst , 609 - 695 - 3481 x . 116 or
alafevre@njlm . org
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