N.J. Admin. Code § 10:31-10.1

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 23, December 2, 2024

Section 10:31-10.1 - Designation of screening services

(a) Pursuant to 30:4-27.4, the Division shall designate a screening service in each geographic area. Although a geographic area will usually consist of a county, depending on geographic size, population, demographics or other factors, the Division may designate a portion of a county or a multi-county area as a geographic area.

(b) Beginning in 2011, and in each year thereafter, the Division shall designate a screening service for each of the State's geographic areas for a period of up to seven years at the conclusion of the process concerning the awarding of public contracts through public solicitation of bids or, in accordance with emergency designation procedures delineated in 10:31-10.2.

1. In the year prior to the year of designation, the Division shall notify the public, through a notice published in the New Jersey Register and news media and posted on its website, that it is accepting applications for screening service designation in certain geographic areas.

(c) Once designated, the screening service shall have, for the period of designation, the sole authority to provide screening in, and for, the geographic area in which it is located, and shall assume all of the functions listed in 10:31-2.1.

1. Screening contracts shall be funded on a yearly basis, consistent with the Legislature's annual funding appropriation.

(d) In order to maintain its designation status, a screening service shall demonstrate compliance with the standards of this chapter and satisfactory performance of the screening functions in the region, including, but not limited to:

1. Clinical assessment, crisis stabilization, referral, linkage and mobile outreach services;

2. Documentation and recordkeeping requirements, such as data reporting and performance measurement specifications;

3. State and Federal confidentiality laws;

4. Implementation of wellness and recovery and cultural competency principles;

5. Maintenance of appropriate working relationships with all components of the Statewide acute care system; and

6. Maintenance of appropriately trained and credentialed staff.

(e) The Department shall ensure the participation of the county mental health board in the designation of the geographic areas and screening services:

1. Geographic areas: Whenever the Division is considering a change to the existing designated geographic areas, the Division shall so notify the affected counties and each county mental health board shall make a recommendation to the Division regarding the boundaries of the geographic area to be covered by the screening service. The Division shall designate the geographic area after consideration of this recommendation; and

2. Screening service designation: The Division shall include in the competitive designation process participation by the relevant county mental health board(s). Specifically, prior to Division designation, the county mental health board shall review all proposals and at a public meeting, take and make a record of all public comments concerning the entities that applied for designation before making a written recommendation of an agency to be designated as the screening service, based on, but not limited, to the following factors:

i. Demonstrated history of providing quality services;

ii. Knowledge of, and willingness to provide services to, target populations;

iii. Ability to provide mental health services in a cost effective manner; and

iv. The documented ability to comply with this chapter.

(f) The Division shall designate a screening service after reviewing all public comments and the mental health board's recommendation considering the ability of all entities applying to comply with this chapter, as identified in the Request for Proposal.

N.J. Admin. Code § 10:31-10.1

Recodified from N.J.A.C. 10:31-6.1 and amended by R.2010 d.175, effective 8/16/2010.
See: 41 N.J.R. 4014(a), 42 N.J.R. 1872(a).
Section was "Designation of screening centers". In (a), substituted "Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.4, the Division shall designate a" for "A designated" and "service" for "center shall be named"; and rewrote (b) through (f).