From NewBridge Services:
State Sen. Tony Bucco and Assemblyman Anthony M. Bucco (both R-25th Dist.) are prime sponsors of twin bills in the Senate and General Assembly that would ensure community mental health care is safeguarded under the new state funding model that takes effect July 1, 2017.
The bipartisan-supported Community Mental Health Safety Net Act (S-3121 and A-4827) would require the state to supplement funding for service providers should they face revenue shortfalls during the first year of fee-for-service funding.
If a provider’s expenses exceed the revenue they receive through fee-for-service funding, the state would make up the deficit in fiscal year 2018, according to the pending bills.
For 40-plus years, the state has guaranteed to cover expenses community mental health providers they’re unable to recoup from clients, allowing the nonprofits to treat people no matter their ability to pay.
Under fee-for-service funding, providers will be reimbursed for certain “billable” services, but not others, and in some cases at rates that do not cover actual costs.
Payments will be withheld when clients miss sessions, despite the fact that is a common occurrence for people with serious mental illness. (It’s estimated appointments are missed 20 to 30 percent of the time.)
“I believe that the state has a responsibility to protect our most vulnerable residents from harm,” Sen. Bucco said.
“There is no denying that a sudden reduction in health services would endanger tens of thousands of critically ill and impoverished people in New Jersey. We don’t want to find ourselves in a position where providers are forced to cut services or close up shop all together,” the senator said.
“This bill will ensure a smooth transition to a fee-for-service model, so that patients can continue to access the care they need to live healthy, independent lives.”
Assemblyman Bucco wholeheartedly agreed. “Over the last year, I have received many calls from agencies that serve our most vulnerable population, worried that some clients may not get treatment under fee for service,” Assemblyman Bucco said.
“If our nonprofits are not able to serve them, then that burden will fall on the counties and hospital emergency departments. If that happened, taxpayers would be on the hook for more money than ensuring services are provided.”
Assemblyman Bucco noted that earmarking funding for this purpose would be a precautionary measure, the money spent only if nonprofit providers faced revenue shortfalls.
“While the Department of Human Services is confident we’re not going to see these problems, having a safety net is not a bad idea. The money would be there in case the things the agencies predict happen.”
NewBridge Services CEO Robert L. Parker applauded the efforts of the Buccos, longtime supporters of the Morris County-based nonprofit.
“They recognize the critical need to ensure that community mental health providers can continue to treat people with mental illness, no matter their ability to pay,” Parker said.
The 54-year-old nonprofit last year provided counseling and housing and education to 10,000 children, adults and seniors in Morris, Passaic and Sussex counties.
New Jersey residents can help the cause by contacting their legislators and asking them to support the Community Mental Health Safety Net Act, Parker said. Residents can find their representatives by town here: https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/districts/municipalities.asp.
The other sponsors of S-3121 are Sen. Robert Gordon (D-Bergen) and Sen. Robert W. Singer (R-Ocean). The other primary sponsors of A-4827 are Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen), Assemblyman Gordon M. Johnson (D-Bergen), and Assemblyman Daniel R. Benson (D-Mercer).
