N.J. Admin. Code § 10A:16-13.5 - Screening service commitment of inmates

(a) A screening service in the community that has been approved by the Director or designee of the Division of Mental Health Services may be used by the Department of Corrections in emergency situations. The Administrator or designee shall contact the Director of Health Services or designee in such cases to obtain verbal approval or disapproval to use the designated screening service.

(b) In a situation in which a psychiatrist is unavailable to complete a Clinical/Screening Certificate of Involuntary Commitment of Mentally Ill Adults, the following procedures shall be utilized:

1. If the local Division of Mental Health Services (D.M.H.S.) designated screening service has been approved for this purpose by the D.M.H. S. Division Director, the correctional staff shall contact that screening service pursuant to N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.1 et seq. (Screening Law);

2. The screening service shall provide a screening evaluation either at the correctional facility or the Screening Service site; and

3. If the inmate meets the commitment standard, the screening service shall complete the Clinical Screening Certificate of Involuntary Commitment of Mentally Ill Adults and the New Jersey Department of Corrections shall transport the inmate to and from the screening service and to the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital, if necessary.

(c) In all cases, the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital shall be contacted prior to transporting an inmate to that facility for admission.

(d) The original of the completed Clinical/Screening Certificate of Involuntary Commitment of Mentally Ill Adults shall be turned over to the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital upon inmate admission and the psychiatric facility shall file this document for the final hearing.

(e) The correctional facility shall maintain a copy of each of the documents referenced in this section in the inmate's MRF.

(f) The Health Compliance Unit shall maintain an up-to-date listing of designated local mental health screening services, approved to perform inmate screenings, which shall be available to all correctional facilities within the Department of Corrections.

Notes

N.J. Admin. Code § 10A:16-13.5

Amended by R.2005 d.179, effective 6/6/2005.
See: 37 N.J.R. 188(a), 37 N.J.R. 2020(b).
In (e), substituted "MRF" for "Medical/Dental Record" following "in this section in the inmate's".
Amended by R.2009 d.74, effective 3/2/2009.
See: 40 N.J.R. 6374(a), 41 N.J.R. 1052(b).
In the introductory paragraph of (b), substituted "in which a" for "involving an inmate assigned to a housing unit other than the C.S.U. and the unavailability of a" and inserted "is unavailable".
Amended by R.2010 d.056, effective 4/19/2010.
See: 41 N.J.R. 4397(a), 42 N.J.R. 793(a).
In (a), inserted "Director of" and deleted "Unit Supervisor" following the second occurrence of "Services". Amended by 57 N.J.R. 260(a), effective 2/3/2025