Gov. Murphy, AG Make 2 Big Moves On Mental Health, Prison Reform

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal made two big moves on Thursday that coud change health care and the incarcertation of prisoners in New Jersey.

Murphy signed legislation that will provide a boost for the insurance coverage of mental health and substance use disorder treatment services for New Jersey residents.

Under the new law, the state will now require health insurers to provide coverage for mental health conditions and substance use disorders under the same terms and conditions as provided for any other sickness.

“Providing access to health care remains a priority for my administration and we will continue to work to remove obstacles that hinder people’s abilities to receive the care they need,” Murphy said.

Grewal, meanwhile, announced that the Attorney General’s Office is launching two statewide initiatives to promote public safety and strengthen the public’s confidence in the criminal justice system: a statewide Conviction Review Unit (CRU) and a statewide Cold Case Network (CCN).

The CRU, which will be partially funded with a U.S. Department of Justice grant, is the first statewide conviction review unit in the nation to be based in an Attorney General’s Office. The new unit will review claims of actual innocence, investigate those deemed meritorious, and present its findings to the Attorney General for decision and appropriate action.

The CCN will involve a statewide network of regional cold case task forces, which will pool personnel, expertise, technology and resources to solve cold cases.

“Today’s dual announcements are based on a simple premise: that those who are innocent should not remain in prison, and those who are guilty should not remain on the streets,” said Grewal.

With Murphy's mental health parity law (A2031/S1339), health insurers will be reqiured to meet the requirements of the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act. The federal law enacted in 2008 requires equal coverage for mental and physical health care services.

“No one should have to forego treatment or take on a monumental expense to receive care because of inequities in coverage. We must do everything we can to ensure that individuals who need treatment are able to get it. This new law enhances enforcement and oversight of mental health parity laws to ensure that mental health and substance use disorders are treated on par with physical health conditions,” said Murphy.

Under the new law, insurance carriers will have to submit an annual report to the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance that demonstrates compliance with the mental health parity laws. The law also provides a number of additional transparency provisions, including the development of a report by the department, to be provided to the Legislature and posted publicly, detailing oversight of the bill’s provisions.

The Murphy administration said it recognizes that robust consumer outreach and engagement is a critical component of the department’s work, and that strengthening a direct line of communication between regulators and those impacted is critical to best understand and identify issues related to parity.

“On average, one in five Americans experience mental health issues,” said Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin. “Today, our state is proudly providing these individuals with the health coverage they deserve and ensuring mental health services are at their fingertips. Access to health care is a basic human right and I know that this new law will have a meaningful and positive impact on thousands of lives across our state.”

In his prison reform plan, Grewal announced that the Carolyn Murray, Superior Court Judge in Essex County, has stepped down from her judicial position to assume responsibility as the first Director of the CRU. The unit will be housed within the Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity & Accountability (OPIA).

With the CCN, the regional task forces will be modeled on the “North Jersey Regional Cold Case Task Force,” a collaboration announced last week involving the Bergen, Essex, and Passaic County Prosecutor’s Offices, and will receive additional resources and support from the Attorney General’s Office and New Jersey State Police.

“These two statewide initiatives will ensure that those who break the law are held accountable, no matter how long ago the crime occurred," Grewal said.

The statewide Conviction Review Unit "will diligently investigate meritorious claims of actual innocence, bringing fresh eyes to each case and a commitment to single-mindedly seek the truth,” said OPIA Director Thomas J. Eicher.

“It is vital that the public have confidence in the work that we do in law enforcement, and the initiatives that we are announcing today clearly demonstrate that our mission is not to rack up convictions, but to pursue justice in each and every case,” he said.

Attorney General Grewal made the announcement during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. He noted that the two initiatives, by seeking justice in every case, will serve a common purpose of ensuring that crime victims and survivors receive the answers and closure they require and deserve.

“Crime victims are in our hearts and minds every day, but especially now as we honor them during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week,” said Grewal.

The CRU will accept claims of wrongful conviction from a wide variety of sources, including prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, law enforcement, innocence organizations, defendants, defendants’ families, the media, and others.

Due to the anticipated volume of claims and importance of thoroughly reviewing each petition, the CRU will work with law schools and innocence groups for assistance with intake and screening. It will partner with Centurion, a nonprofit innocence organization, for assistance in intake and screening, as well as training and policy development.