New Jersey Assembly Bill A2382

New Jersey 2024-2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/9/24
• Refer: 1/9/24
• Chaptered: 1/9/24
• Passed: 1/9/24

Caption

Establishes Community Crisis Response Advisory Council and community crisis response teams pilot program; appropriates $10 million.

Impact

The bill's impact on state laws includes a shift in how communities approach behavioral health crises, emphasizing a model that prioritizes community-based interventions over police responses. The council created by this bill will provide best practices, recommendations, and oversight to ensure that the programs are effective and tailored to the needs of the communities served. Specific eligibility requirements for municipalities aim to ensure that the program reaches areas most in need, particularly those with high occurrences of mental health calls.

Summary

Assembly Bill A2382 establishes the Community Crisis Response Advisory Council and introduces a pilot program to allow municipalities and community-based organizations to operate community crisis response teams in New Jersey. This legislation aims to address the increasing needs for behavioral health interventions, especially those responding to mental health crises, by creating a structure for on-site support that can divert situations away from law enforcement involvement. The bill appropriates $10 million for the operational support and grants to eligible entities, which can receive up to $2 million per municipality annually.

Contention

Notable points of contention surrounding A2382 involve concerns over the effectiveness of diverting mental health crises from law enforcement. Supporters argue that establishing community crisis response teams could minimize fatal encounters resulting from mismanaged behavioral health crises, especially among marginalized communities disproportionately affected by policing practices. Critics may raise questions regarding the implementation of such programs, the distribution of funds, and the program's ability to adequately address the complexities of mental health without adequate integration with law enforcement when immediate safety concerns arise.