New bill requires NJ higher education institutions to provide students access to mental health services

On Tuesday, Gov. Phil Murphy (D-N.J.) signed a number of bills into law, among which was Assembly Bill 3007, which will address mental health concerns among college students, according to a press release.

This bill will require higher education institutions to provide students with access to mental health services and to establish a hotline for students with information regarding those services.

Bill 3007 was first introduced to the Assembly in February 2020 and ultimately passed both houses of the State Senate on Jan. 10 before being signed into law by Murphy, according to the release.

The act mandates all public institutions of higher education to provide all students with on-campus mental health services and give each student access to information regarding the availability of those resources.

Specifically, colleges and universities are required to create and maintain a 24-hour toll-free telephone hotline for students seeking counseling for stress, depression and other kinds of emotional tension, according to the bill.

The bill recommends that hotline operators are trained in counseling students in areas that may adversely affect their well-being, such as substance abuse and personal stress management, or that they are familiar with the psychological tensions that are common among university students.

The bill recommends that hotline operators are trained in counseling students in areas such as substance abuse and personal stress management, while also ensuring familiarity with other hardships students may face.

In addition, operators will provide referrals to students who require additional counseling services, according to the bill.

Access to the hotline is to be posted in all libraries, student centers and residence halls on college campuses as well as other common areas. The bill is set to take effect immediately for the remainder of the 2021-2022 academic year and each year afterward.

After the Assembly’s third reading of the bill in June, Rep. Aura Dunn (R-25), one of the sponsors for the bill, said that campus closures and other restrictions caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic were detrimental to the mental health of many students.

“Providing information on mental health services in the beginning of the semester, when you are learning about how and where to access all the resources you need, reduces some of the stigma surrounding seeking out psychological help ... In order to prevent potential tragedies, we want to normalize mental health care so that they feel comfortable reaching out for help," Dunn said.