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Bill

A 5104

Establishes brain injury screening and education program in DCF.

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Sterley Stanley

Establishes a brain injury screening and education program within DCF to identify, educate, and connect children and young adults (ages 5–21) with brain injury to appropriate servi

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Health Committee
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Bill Summary · A 5104

Bill overview

  • Jurisdiction: New Jersey
  • Bill: A 5104
  • Session: 222
  • Purpose: Establish a brain injury screening and education program within the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to identify and support children and young adults with brain injury and to educate and coordinate among professionals and stakeholders.

Main purpose and intent

  • Create a brain injury screening and education program for ages five to 21.
  • Target individuals who are involved with, or at risk of involvement with, the state’s mental health or juvenile justice systems.
  • Improve early detection, understanding, and access to treatment and rehabilitative services for brain injury.
  • Reduce psychiatric hospital admissions and juvenile recidivism by enhancing knowledge and appropriate responses among professionals and caregivers.

Key provisions and changes

  • Establishment and objectives

    • Formally establish a brain injury screening and education program within DCF.
    • Objective: identify screened individuals and raise awareness among a broad set of stakeholders, including parents/guardians, educators, judges, law enforcement, health care providers, and staff across state and county facilities and departments.

  • Program components and implementation

    • Develop and implement a reliable, validated screening tool and structured interviews to assess prior history of brain injury.
    • Ensure screenings are conducted by individuals with foundational knowledge of brain injury.
    • Provide training and consultancy to educators, judges, law enforcement, health and mental health providers, and staff in state juvenile facilities, county facilities, probation departments, crisis intervention units, screening services, and various DCF divisions (e.g., Child Protection and Permanency, Children's System of Care, Family and Community Partnerships, Office of Adolescent Services).

  • Education, outreach, and awareness

    • Implement measures to educate and raise awareness among the same wide range of stakeholders about brain injury in children and young adults.
    • Cover links between brain injury, juvenile delinquency, and early onset of psychiatric diagnoses.
    • Highlight the importance of early detection and available treatment and rehabilitative programs.

  • Outreach strategies

    • Disseminate information through multiple channels and entities, including health facilities, state and county facilities, local health departments, the Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey, clinics, schools, libraries, mental health programs for children, and online resources.

  • Assessment guidelines

    • Develop guidelines for more detailed assessments and for sharing information and resources with parents/guardians after a positive screening for a prior brain injury history.

  • Funding and grants

    • Authorize the Commissioner to apply for and accept grants from federal, private, or other sources to support programs for brain injury in children and young adults as deemed appropriate for New Jersey’s system.

  • Reporting and evaluation

    • Annual reporting to the Governor and Legislature on the program’s activities and effectiveness.
    • First report due no later than 12 months after the act's effective date, with subsequent annual reports.

  • Administrative process

    • The act authorizes rulemaking under the Administrative Procedure Act to implement and effectuate its purposes.

  • Effective date

    • The act takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Who is affected

  • Primary: Children and young adults aged 5–21 who are involved with or at risk of involvement in mental health or juvenile justice systems.
  • Practitioners and professionals: Educators, judges, law enforcement, health and mental health providers, and staff in state and county facilities and related departments.
  • Guardians and families: Parents and guardians of identified individuals.
  • Organizations and facilities: State psychiatric facilities, juvenile facilities, county psychiatric hospitals, juvenile detention facilities, probation departments, crisis intervention services, screening services, and DCF divisionsaadvisory bodies.

Timelines and reporting

  • First annual progress report due within 12 months after the act’s effective date.
  • Ongoing annual reporting thereafter to the Governor and Legislature.
  • Implementation timeline for screening tool, training programs, outreach, and guidelines to be determined by the Commissioner in collaboration with the New Jersey Traumatic Brain Injury Advisory Council.

Summary of potential impact

  • Enhanced early identification of brain injury in youth linked to mental health and juvenile justice systems.
  • Increased knowledge among frontline professionals, potentially reducing inappropriate psychiatric placements and lowering recidivism rates.
  • Expanded outreach and resource awareness for families and communities, improving access to targeted treatments and rehabilitative services.
  • Availability of external funding opportunities to support program activities.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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