2. a. The Commissioner of Health and the Commissioner of Human Services, in consultation with the New Jersey Fire and Emergency Medical Services Institute and the New Jersey State First Aid Council, shall develop a training curriculum with the purpose of informing emergency responders of the risks associated with autism or an intellectual or other developmental disability, as well as providing instruction in appropriate recognition and response techniques concerning these disabilities. The curriculum shall be incorporated into existing time requirements for training and continuing education of emergency responders.

b. Prior to certification by the Department of Health, each emergency medical technician trained in basic life support services as defined in section 1 of P.L.1985, c.351 (C. 26:2K-21) shall be required to satisfactorily complete the training developed under subsection a. of this section. Every emergency medical technician certified prior to the effective date of this act shall, within 36 months of the effective date of this act, satisfactorily complete the training in recognition and response techniques concerning these disabilities, through existing continuing education requirements.

c. The Commissioner of Health shall adopt rules and regulations, pursuant to the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C. 52:14B-1 et seq.), to effectuate the purposes of this act.

L.2008, c.80, s.2; amended 2012, c.17, s.143.