NJ A4535

Licensed residential substance use disorder treatment facilities in New Jersey may provide residential mental health services as a distinct program component if they maintain a formal affiliation with a hospital that offers inpatient psychiatric care

Formal hospital affiliation requires a written contract with a general acute care hospital, State psychiatric hospital, or county psychiatric hospital that establishes joint clinical governance and shared treatment protocols

Affiliated hospitals must provide 24-hour on-call psychiatric and medical consultation coverage, participate in quality assurance activities, and ensure timely patient transfer to inpatient care when clinically indicated

Facilities must file copies of affiliation agreements with the Department of Health, and upon termination of an agreement, must stop admitting new mental health patients while completing treatment for existing patients

The bill addresses care gaps for individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders who need sub-acute residential treatment between inpatient hospitalization and outpatient care