Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 18, September 16, 2024
(a) A screening
service shall perform the following functions:
1. Assessment of the crisis situation and
identification of stabilization, diversion, and support services needed and/or
screening for commitment. This shall take place throughout the geographic area
served by the service, including such sites as other emergency services, jails,
and nursing homes.
i. When evaluation of
suicide risk is indicated, the assessment shall include an evidence-based,
structured, or standardized tool designed to assess suicide
risk;
2. Provision of
emergency and consensual treatment to the person receiving the
assessment;
3. Crisis/early
intervention counseling;
4.
Referral via personal contact to the most appropriate, least restrictive
treatment setting indicated, linkage and follow-up in order to maintain contact
with all consumers until they are engaged in another service licensed by the
appropriate authority, where applicable, or are no longer in crisis;
5. Initiation of involuntary commitment
proceedings, where appropriate and pursuant to
30:4-27.1 0 and
10:31-2.3;
6. Operation of a 24-hour hotline, which
shall be answered at all times directly by a certified screener, crisis
intervention specialist, or other clinical personnel under the supervision of
the screener or crisis intervention specialist and which shall receive calls
that have been forwarded from an AES during off hours;
7. Maintenance of 24 hour per day screening
outreach capability, which shall include provision of screening services in any
location in the geographic area under the following circumstances:
i. Whenever there is indication that there
may be a reasonable likelihood of dangerousness to self, others or property due
to mental illness;
ii. Whenever the
individual is unable or unwilling to come to the screening service or when
transporting the individual may put him or her or others at further risk;
and
iii. If the consumer's history,
behavior or location presents safety concerns that cannot be resolved through
consultation by the screening outreach team with the police and coordination of
transportation to the screening service with the police;
8. Provision of extended crisis evaluation
bed(s) (ECEBs) with 24-hour capability, for the purpose of assessment,
intensive supervision, medication monitoring and crisis
stabilization;
9. Provision of, or
arrangement for, appropriate medical services for consumers who are receiving
screening services;
10. Provision
of medication monitoring, which shall include medication for the purpose of
crisis stabilization. Medication shall be administered in accordance with
N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.11e.a(1) and shall not be given to consumers
in non-emergency situations without their consent;
11. Arranging transportation of consumers in
need of involuntary commitment to inpatient treatment to the receiving
facility;
12. Provision of
face-to-face follow-up visits and/or telephone calls until the crisis is
resolved or linkage completed.
i. Consistent
with the agency's policies regarding informed consent, the designated screening
service shall make referral for aftercare services with mental health care
providers who are licensed by the appropriate authority, as
applicable.
ii. Affiliation
agreements shall be developed and maintained with other community agencies to
ensure priority access to psychiatric evaluation for medication within seven
days of referral and to other mental health services within 14 days of
referral. The screening service shall be responsible for medication until this
responsibility is transferred to another agency;
13. In accordance with the procedures set
forth at N.J.A.C. 10:31-2.4,
determine if a consumer brought to the screening service pursuant to a court
order issued as the result of the consumer's failure to comply with the terms
of their conditional discharge from involuntary commitment to treatment is in
need of involuntary commitment to treatment;
14. Psycho-educational and/or supportive
services to consumers and family members who are involved at time of initial
crisis;
15. Advocate, in
conjunction with affiliated mental health care providers, for services to
flexibly meet consumer needs;
16.
Maintain a written affiliation agreement with the designated STCF(s) serving
the screening services' geographic area;
17. Develop and maintain a written plan to
provide training or technical assistance for police and other community
referral sources directly or through affiliations with other agencies.
i. The screening service may accomplish
police training through presentation of a Division-approved curriculum at the
police academy and through periodic consultation and advisement to the police
and other community referral sources.
ii. Training shall be provided on a
continuing basis and shall include, but not be limited to, orientation to the
screening system, provisions contained within the screening law, explanation of
mental illness, crisis intervention skills, systems interaction and
transportation;
18.
Develop a plan, in collaboration with the general hospital that houses the
screening service, where applicable, for transporting consumers in crisis, in
accordance with all applicable Federal and State laws. This plan shall include
transportation between an AES or screening service and transportation from
these services to an appropriate treatment facility (for example, psychiatric
facility, psychiatric unit of a general hospital, special psychiatric hospital
or STCF), once identified;
19.
Provide, as needed, crisis intervention training and consultation for AES
providers, other community referral sources and police, in the geographic
area;
20. Develop and coordinate a
mechanism for acute care system review in accordance with N.J.A.C.
10:31-5;
21. Maintain a system for
tracking currently available treatment openings in the acute care system for
which the screening service is granted access either directly, by subcontract
or by affiliation; and
22. Ensure
that screening services are made known to the community at large through, among
other modalities, publication of services in the local telephone
directory.
(b) Enhanced
screening services shall perform additional duties, as negotiated and agreed to
in their contracts with the Division.
(c) A screening service shall maintain a
physical environment that is cognizant of, and responsive to, the varying needs
and vulnerabilities of the diverse population it serves, especially children
and older persons. When such vulnerable individuals are presented, screening
staff shall take steps to ensure that they are protected from exposure to
dangerous, potentially upsetting or inappropriate stimuli.
(d) Each screening service shall submit to
the appropriate Division regional office and have approved by the Division a
plan for prioritizing response to screening outreach calls. The plan shall
include the following provisions:
1. Response
timeframes that reflect the unique characteristics of the geographic
area;
2. A requirement that
outreach shall be provided in a timely manner when the screener determines,
based on clinically relevant information, that the person is dangerous by
reason of mental illness and unable or unwilling to come to the screening
service;
3. A protocol for the
involvement of the police, other emergency response personnel and other
professionals; and
4. A plan for
the expansion of screening services to provide additional prevention,
intervention and stabilization services, when resources are
available.