State Codes and Statutes
Statutes > New-jersey > Title-30 > Section-30-4 > 30-4-177-4530:4-177.45 Definitions relative to family support services for persons with a serious mental illness.
3.For the purposes of this act:
"Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Human Services.
"Department" means the Department of Human Services.
"Division" means the Division of Mental Health Services in the Department of Human Services.
"Family" means persons related to the family member with a serious mental illness by blood, marriage, adoption, guardianship, resource family care or other significant care giving relationship.
"Family member with a serious mental illness" means a person who has a history, or is at serious risk, of hospitalization in a State, county or private psychiatric institution.
"Family support services" means a coordinated system of on-going public and private support services which are designed to maintain and enhance the quality of life of a family.
"Family unit" means the family member with a serious mental illness and his family.
"Program" means the program of family support services established pursuant to this act.
L.1995,c.314,s.3; amended 2004, c.130, s.46.
30:4-177.46.Program of family support services established
4. There is established in the Division of Mental Health Services of the Department of Human Services a program of family support services designed to strengthen and promote families who provide care in the community for a family member with a serious mental illness.
Family support services shall vary in scope and intensity based upon the needs of a particular family unit and shall include, but not be limited to the following: service coordination, estate and transition planning, housing assistance, homemaker assistance, accessing vocational and employment services, after-school care, transportation, respite care, family education and training, medication education, and self-advocacy training, including entitlement training.
A family is eligible to participate in the program if the family resides in the State and is actively involved in caring for, or supporting, a family member with a serious mental illness.
No provision of this act shall be construed as requiring the department to expend funds in excess of those appropriated pursuant to this act.
L.1995,c.314,s.4.
30:4-177.47.Monitoring, administering the program; State Family Support Services Plan
5. a. The division shall monitor the program and shall designate a Statewide family advocacy organization to administer the program through a coordinator who shall be a full-time employee of that organization working under its direction. The coordinator shall be qualified by training and experience to perform the duties of this position.
b. The coordinator shall, in conjunction with the three regional family working groups and the Statewide family working group established pursuant to section 6 of this act, adopt, review and revise, as needed, a State Family Support Services Plan for Families of Persons with a Serious Mental Illness. The plan shall:
(1) assess needs, establish goals and set priorities for the provision of family support services;
(2) provide for outreach and coordinated delivery of support services; and
(3) identify and obtain additional funding for the program to supplement funds appropriated pursuant to and available for the purposes of this act.
c. The coordinator shall coordinate efforts by public and private agencies and local family advocacy groups. Coordination shall include, but not be limited to, the identification of services provided by different agencies to avoid duplication; planning with all agencies to ensure that gaps in services are filled; and the coordination of activities for receiving and adopting input from local family advocacy groups.
L.1995,c.314,s.5.
30:4-177.48.Family working groups established
6. a. There are established three regional family working groups which shall consist of representatives from each county within a region. The division shall establish the regions. The regional family working groups shall assess regional needs for family support services and make recommendations to the Statewide family working group. Members shall be designated by the coordinator in conjunction with the Statewide family advocacy organization. Members shall serve without compensation and shall include a family member of a person with a serious mental illness, a person with a serious mental illness or other representative of a group interested in advocating for persons with serious mental illness and their families.
b. There is established a Statewide family working group which shall consist of three members from each of the regional family working groups in the State. Members shall be designated by the respective regional family working groups and shall serve without compensation. The Statewide family working group members shall monitor the support services from their respective regions and provide recommendations to the coordinator regarding family support services.
L.1995,c.314,s.6.
30:4-177.49.Duties of coordinator
7. The coordinator, in conjunction with the Statewide family advocacy organization and local family advocacy groups, shall work to expand and establish family support services throughout the State. The coordinator shall, at least annually, report in writing to the Statewide family advocacy organization and the division on the efforts of the regional family working groups to effectuate the purposes of this act.
L.1995,c.314,s.7.
30:4-177.50.Allocation of monies
8. a. No more than 10% of the monies appropriated pursuant to this act shall be allocated for administrative purposes.
b. The division and any agency funded by the division to provide family support services shall assist families in obtaining all other sources of funding before using funds appropriated pursuant to and available for the purposes of this act.
c. The services provided pursuant to this act shall not supplant any existing rights, entitlements or services for which the family or family member with a serious mental illness may be eligible.
L.1995,c.314,s.8.
30:4-177.51.Family support services considered State benefit
9. Notwithstanding the provisions of any law to the contrary, the family support services provided pursuant to this act shall be considered a State benefit and shall not be counted as income for the purposes of State taxation or eligibility for other State benefits.
L.1995,c.314,s.9.
30:4-177.52.Rules, regulations
10. The commissioner shall, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), adopt rules and regulations necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act.
L.1995,c.314,s.10.
