NJ Bill Would ‘Open Door’ For Mental Health Care In Homeless Shelters

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — A proposed New Jersey state law that would “open a door” for mental health care providers to operate in homeless shelters has taken another step forward.

On Thursday, Sen. Renee Burgess (District 28) announced that S-3261 advanced from the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens committee, which voted 8-0 in its favor.

According to Burgess, one of the bill’s primary sponsors, here’s what it will do if it becomes law:

“The bill, S-3261, would authorize behavioral health care providers to provide services within an emergency shelter for the homeless. Providers would be permitted to offer services in response to emergencies, on a part-time or full-time basis, within a temporary or permanent emergency shelter. Under the bill, ‘behavioral health care providers’ include psychiatrists, psychologists, clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, or any other licensed mental health or substance use disorder treatment provider. The bill would also define ‘behavioral health care’ as services, other than primary health care services, provided to a patient for the treatment of a mental illness, emotional disorder, or drug or alcohol use disorder.”

A companion bill, A-4755, has been introduced in the state Assembly. Read the bill’s full text here.

“The byproducts of homelessness affect every aspect of a person’s life, including their mental and emotional health,” Burgess said.

Ensuring that people experiencing homeless have access to the care they need is a vital step towards finding a “permanent solution” to an age-old problem, the senator said.

“This legislation is a crucial first step to opening the door for service providers to work within shelters, but it is even more critical because the bill provides homeless persons with the choice and access to efficient and holistic care,” Burgess said.

Burgess, who recently served as Irvington’s council president, was sworn in for her state Senate post in October 2022, when she was chosen by Essex County Democrats to temporarily succeed Rice – the longest-serving Black lawmaker in state history – who retired because of health issues.

• See related: Renee Burgess Joins Legislature, Replacing Sen. Ron Rice
• See related: Retiring NJ Senator Ronald Rice Has Made Newark Proud, Officials Say

Burgess later ran in a special election to represent the district, capturing the seat in November 2022.

Other bills sponsored by Burgess include S-3262, which would require the Division of Children's System of Care to establish goals for prioritizing certain services to homeless children, and S-3263, which would require the Department of Community Affairs to conduct surveys and report data related to homelessness in administering the Rental Assistance Navigation Program.

The recently redrawn 28th district includes the municipalities of Irvington, Maplewood, Newark and South Orange in Essex County, and Hillside in Union County.

• See related: Essex County Leads NJ In Homelessness; See The Most Common Causes

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