Verrelli, Benson & Vainieri Huttle Bill in Response to Mental Health Crisis Caused by COVID-19 Pandemic Heads to Assembly Speaker

Press Release 10/13/20 

TRENTON – In an effort to ensure the state is prepared to handle surging mental health challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, three Assembly Democrats are sponsoring a bill that would allow out-of-state mental health graduates to receive an expedited license to temporarily practice in New Jersey. The legislation was advanced by the Assembly Regulated Professions Committee recently.

Under the bill (A-4246), recent out-of-state graduates of a mental health program who have a master’s degree or higher, but are not yet licensed to practice, would be eligible to receive a temporary license or certification to practice in New Jersey during a state of emergency or public health emergency.

The temporary licensee would be under the supervision of a fully licensed New Jersey professional, and their license/certificate would only be valid until either its expiration date or the date in which the emergency is lifted – whichever comes first.

In order to expedite these licenses, the bill would temporarily waive some of the usual fees and requirements of an applicant. Once the temporary license expired, the individual could apply for full licensure in New Jersey using the experience they gained while providing services during the emergency.

Upon the bill advancing, Assembly sponsors Anthony Verrelli (D-Mercer, Hunterdon), Daniel Benson (D-Mercer, Middlesex) and Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen) issued the following joint statement:

“According to the United Nations, the current pandemic ‘has the seeds of a major mental health crisis.’ Between mass unemployment, isolation from loved ones, fear over losing someone or dying because of a deadly new virus, and so much more, is it any wonder countless residents are struggling with their mental health right now?

“Our state was already facing a mental health crisis before this pandemic, which has now been exacerbated by the unprecedented stress and trauma New Jerseyans continue to face. One study found that nearly 40 percent of the adults in our state were experiencing depression or anxiety back in May – a number that was second only to one other state.