-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An Act concerning county juvenile detention facilities and supplementing P.L.1995, c.284 (C.52:17B-169 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Juvenile Justice Commission shall establish standards for suicide and mental health screening in county juvenile detention facilities in accordance with the provisions of this act. The standards shall require that each county detention facility develop written policies concerning mental health screening, suicide screening, suicide prevention protocols and other mental and emotional health-related issues and that each county juvenile detention facility make psychological or psychiatric services available to juveniles as needed.
2. a. Upon admission to a county juvenile detention facility, a juvenile shall be screened for risk of suicide in accordance with the facility’s suicide prevention protocols written policies required by section 1 of this act. The suicide risk screening shall include, but not be limited to, the use of a standardized suicide risk questionnaire designated and made available by the Juvenile Justice Commission. The findings shall be recorded and brought to the attention of the appropriate medical or mental health staff as soon as possible.
b. If a juvenile shows evidence of suicide risk, the facility’s suicide prevention protocols shall be immediately implemented. The policies shall include an increased level of supervision of a juvenile showing evidence of suicide risk until appropriate mental health services can be obtained. The facility administrator, or the administrator’s designee, shall be immediately notified if a juvenile:
(1) is suspected of being at risk of attempting suicide or in emotional distress;
(2) has made a suicidal gesture or attempt; or
(3) scores in a suicide caution or warning range in a screening.
3. Between 24 and 48 hours following admission to a county juvenile detention facility, a juvenile shall undergo mental health screening using a mental health screening tool designated by the Juvenile Justice Commission and in accordance with the facility’s written policies required by section 1 of this act. If the screening tool indicates that a referral for additional screening or mental health services is appropriate, that referral shall occur as soon as possible. If the screening indicates a warning or caution, the juvenile shall be placed on, and remain under, increased supervision until it is determined by a mental health clinician that a heightened level of supervision is no longer needed to ensure the safety of the juvenile.
4. No person shall perform a suicide risk screening pursuant to section 2 of this act or a mental health screening pursuant to section 3 of this act unless that person has been certified by the Juvenile Justice Commission as qualified to perform such screening.
5. The Juvenile Justice Commission, in conjunction with the Department of Human Services, shall establish and maintain a confidential Statewide database of the suicide risk screenings required by section 2 of this act and the mental health screenings required by section 3 of this act to be used exclusively by persons performing suicide risk and mental health screenings.
6. a. The Juvenile Justice Commission shall monitor the number of suicides that occur at each county juvenile detention facility.
b. Upon an initial suicide at a facility, the commission shall conduct an evaluation of the facility’s compliance with the provisions of this act, an accountability assessment and an action report.
c. If a second suicide occurs within seven years of the initial suicide, the Juvenile Justice Commission shall, within 30 days, and with the approval of the Attorney General, evaluate the facility for compliance with the provisions of this act. A facility shall not admit additional juveniles until the Attorney General has certified that the facility is in compliance with the provisions of this act.
d. If a third or subsequent suicide occurs within seven years of an initial suicide, the facility shall be immediately closed and shall not reopen until the Governor determines that it shall reopen. A task force comprised of the following 11 members shall assist the Governor in making this determination: the Executive Director of the Juvenile Justice Commission, or a designee; the Attorney General, or a designee; the Child Advocate, or a designee; Commissioner of Human Services, or a designee; two members of the General Assembly, to be chosen by the Speaker of the General Assembly, who shall not be of the same political party, and shall not represent the county within which the facility being evaluated is located; two members of the Senate, to be chosen by the Senate President, who shall not be of the same political party and shall not represent the county within which the facility being evaluated is located; one public member; a director of a county juvenile detention facility, but not of the county facility being evaluated; and a member of the board of chosen freeholders of the county within which the facility being evaluated is located.
7. The Juvenile Justice Commission, in conjunction with the Department of Human Services, shall annually submit to the Governor and the Legislature, for seven years following the effective date of this act, a report detailing:
a. the number of suicides and suicide attempts at each county juvenile detention facility;
b. the number of suicide and mental health screenings that have been conducted at each facility and the number of juveniles whose screenings have indicated a warning or caution;
c. the number of juveniles who have been referred for additional screening or evaluation; and
d. a summary of the diagnoses for juveniles who have received treatment.
8. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would require the Juvenile Justice Commission (JJC) to adopt standards for suicide and mental health screening in county juvenile detention facilities. The bill would require county detention facilities to have written policies concerning mental health screening, suicide screening, suicide prevention protocols and other mental and emotional health-related issues and to make psychological or psychiatric services available to juveniles as needed.
The bill also would require juveniles to be screened for risk of suicide upon admission to a county juvenile detention facility. The suicide risk screening would include, but need not be limited to, the use of a standardized suicide risk questionnaire designated and made available by the JJC. The findings are to be recorded and brought to the attention of the appropriate medical or mental health staff as soon as possible. If a juvenile displays evidence of suicide risk, the facility’s suicide prevention protocols would be immediately implemented. The procedures would require an increased level of supervision of a juvenile showing evidence of suicide risk until appropriate mental health services can be obtained. The bill further requires that the facility administrator, or the administrator’s designee, be immediately notified if a juvenile is suspected of being at risk of attempting suicide or in emotional distress, has made a suicidal gesture or attempt, or scores in a suicide caution or warning range in a screening.
Additionally, juveniles would be required by the bill to undergo mental health screening using a mental health screening tool designated by the JJC within 24 to 48 hours of admission to a county juvenile detention facility. If the screening tool indicates that a referral for additional screening or mental health services is appropriate, that referral shall occur as soon as possible. If the screening indicates a warning or caution the juvenile shall be placed on, and remain under, increased supervision until it is determined by a mental health clinician that the heightened level of supervision is no longer needed to ensure the safety of the juvenile. Currently, all 17 county juvenile detention facilities employ the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument-2 (MAYSI-2) to screen for mental health needs.
Under the bill, persons performing the required suicide risk and mental health screenings would have to be certified by the JJC.
The bill would required the JJC, in conjunction with the Department of Human Services, to establish and maintain a confidential Statewide database of suicide and mental health screenings performed at county juvenile detention facilities.
The JJC also is required to monitor the number of suicides at each county juvenile detention facility. When a suicide occurs at a facility, the JJC must evaluate the facility’s compliance with the bill’s provisions and prepare an accountability assessment and action report. If a second suicide occurs within seven years of the first suicide, the bill requires the JJC, with the approval of the Attorney General, to evaluate the facility for compliance with the bill’s provisions within 30 days. The facility would be prohibited from admitting additional juveniles until the Attorney General has certified that the facility is in compliance with the bill’s provisions. If a third or subsequent suicide occurs within seven years of the first suicide, the facility is to be immediately closed and is prohibited from reopening until the Governor determines it should reopen. An 11-member task force would be appointed to assist the Governor in making the determination. Members of the task force include: the Executive Director of the JJC; the Attorney General; the Child Advocate; the Commissioner of Human Services; two members of the General Assembly; two members of the Senate; one public member; a director of a county juvenile detention facility; and a member of the board of chosen freeholders of the county within which the facility being evaluated is located.
Finally, the bill requires the JJC to submit annually for seven years a report to the Governor and the Legislature detailing: 1) the number of suicides and suicide attempts at each county juvenile detention facility; 2) the number of suicide and mental health screenings that have been conducted at each facility and the number of juveniles whose screenings have indicated a warning or caution; 3) the number of juveniles who have been referred for additional screening or evaluation; and 4) a summary of the diagnoses for juveniles who have received treatment.
His legacy
Add to favorites 
