New Jersey Statutes 30:9A-24. Report by teacher of attempted, completed suicide by student; other reporting requirements
Terms Used In New Jersey Statutes 30:9A-24
- Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
- person: includes corporations, companies, associations, societies, firms, partnerships and joint stock companies as well as individuals, unless restricted by the context to an individual as distinguished from a corporate entity or specifically restricted to one or some of the above enumerated synonyms and, when used to designate the owner of property which may be the subject of an offense, includes this State, the United States, any other State of the United States as defined infra and any foreign country or government lawfully owning or possessing property within this State. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
- Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
- Reporter: Makes a record of court proceedings and prepares a transcript, and also publishes the court's opinions or decisions (in the courts of appeals).
- State: extends to and includes any State, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia and the Canal Zone. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
b. A nonpublic school is encouraged to require any member of its professional staff, who, as a result of information obtained in the course of the person’s employment, has reasonable cause to suspect or believe that a student has attempted or completed suicide, to promptly report such information to the division in a form and manner prescribed by the division.
As used in this subsection, “nonpublic school” means an elementary or secondary school within the State, other than a public school, offering education in grades K-12 or any combination thereof, at which a child may legally fulfill compulsory school attendance requirements.
c. Any licensed psychologist, social worker, marriage and family therapist, professional counselor, physician, physician assistant, alcohol and drug counselor, or registered nurse or licensed practical nurse licensed in this State pursuant to Title 45 of the Revised Statutes, who, as a result of information obtained in the course of the person’s employment, has reasonable cause to suspect or believe that a youth has attempted or completed suicide, shall promptly report such information to the division in a form and manner prescribed by the division.
d. Any public health official, probation officer, employee of the Superior Court, Chancery Division, Family Part, Certified Domestic Violence Specialist, or member of a professional group identified by the council as having a likelihood to know about suicide attempts and deaths, who, as a result of information obtained in the course of the person’s employment, has reasonable cause to suspect or believe that a youth has attempted or completed suicide, is encouraged to promptly report such information to the division in a form and manner prescribed by the division.
e. The reporting form established by the division shall not require the reporter to identify the student or youth by name or other unique identifier, but may require that the reporter supply non-identifying demographic information about the student or youth, other attempts made by the student or youth and the response or referral made to deal with the incident.
f. The reporting form shall be submitted to a designated employee of the division with responsibility for compiling data from the reports. Information contained in the reports shall not be considered a public record, but the division may aggregate the data for the purpose of preparing an annual report pursuant to section 6 of this act.
g. The division shall offer to provide persons who are required or encouraged to report an attempted or completed suicide with current information about public and private assistance available to survivors and families of attempted and completed suicides and professionals who deal with suicide.
h. The reporting of an attempted or completed suicide pursuant to this section shall not replace or alter any other requirement of law or professional standard or obligation that requires a person to evaluate a death or report an attempted or completed suicide.
i. Any person who reports an attempted or completed suicide pursuant to this act shall have immunity from any civil or criminal liability on account of that report, unless the person has acted in bad faith or with malicious purpose.
j. No provision of this act shall be deemed to require the disclosure of, or penalize the failure to disclose, any information which would be privileged pursuant to the provisions of sections 18 through 23, inclusive, of P.L.1960, c.52 (C. 2A:84A-18 through 2A:84A-23).
L.2003,c.214,s.3.