30:4-27.11a - Findings, declarations - New Jersey Statutes

30:4-27.11a. Findings, declarations       1.   The Legislature finds and declares that:

    a.   It is of paramount public interest to ensure the rights of all patients in inpatient psychiatric facilities, including those persons being assessed or receiving treatment on an involuntary basis in screening services and short-term care facilities as defined in section 2 of P.L.1987, c.116 (C.30:4-27.2); 

    b.   The rights set forth in section 10 of P.L.1965, c.59 (C.30:4-24.2) apply to any person who has been involuntarily committed to a State or county psychiatric hospital, a psychiatric unit of a county hospital or a special psychiatric hospital in accordance with the laws of this State; 

    c.   Because involuntary assessment and treatment in a screening service and involuntary commitment to a short-term care facility involve the deprivation of a patient's liberty, it is necessary to specify and guarantee by statute the rights to which that patient is entitled, in a manner similar to that provided for a patient who is involuntarily committed to a State or county psychiatric hospital, a psychiatric unit of a county hospital or a special psychiatric hospital, while recognizing the administrative, structural and staffing features of screening services and short-term care facilities which are different from State or county psychiatric hospitals, psychiatric units of county hospitals or special psychiatric hospitals, as well as recognizing differences between the administrative, structural and staffing features of screening services and short-term care facilities by providing a separate guarantee of rights for patients in each of these settings; and 

    d.   All patients who are receiving assessment or treatment on an involuntary basis in screening services and short-term care facilities as defined in section 2 of P.L.1987, c.116 (C.30:4-27.2) are entitled to receive professional treatment of the highest standard and, unless incompetent, to participate in their treatment and discharge planning to the fullest extent possible. 

    L.1991,c.233,s.1.