New Jersey legislation · 2026-2027 Regular Session
New Jersey A5223: Facilities flexibility, psychiatric bed status-create voluntary pilot program
Status: Signed into law, July 30, 2026
Creates voluntary pilot program to allow certain facilities flexibility in their psychiatric bed status.
What the bill says
An Act creating a pilot program to allow certain facilities flexibility to temporarily change certain psychiatric bed status from adult acute psychiatric bed to adult closed acute psychiatric bed. Jersey: 1. a. The provisions of this section shall be implemented as a pilot program for a period of 24 months from the effective date of this act. b. Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, a general hospital, psychiatric facility, or special psychiatric hospital licensed to provide inpatient psychiatric services may, but shall not be required to, temporarily.
From the chaptered text, July 30, 2026:
An Act creating a pilot program to allow certain facilities flexibility to temporarily change certain psychiatric bed status from adult acute psychiatric bed to adult closed acute psychiatric bed. Jersey: 1. a. The provisions of this section shall be implemented as a pilot program for a period of 24 months from the effective date of this act. b. Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, a general hospital, psychiatric facility, or special psychiatric hospital licensed to provide inpatient psychiatric services may, but shall not be required to, temporarily utilize any adult acute psychiatric bed as an adult closed acute psychiatric bed for the involuntary commitment of a patient pursuant to P.L.1987, c.116 (C.30:4-27.1 et al.), as necessary to meet patient care needs. Nothing in this section shall be construed to mandate or require a general hospital, psychiatric facility, or special psychiatric hospital to implement such flexibility. This authority shall not be applicable to any short-term care facility. c. An adult acute psychiatric bed temporarily utilized as an adult closed acute psychiatric bed pursuant to subsection b. of this section shall retain its licensure designation and may be returned to that designation without further approval by the Department of Health. A temporary utilization of a psychiatric inpatient bed pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall …