26:2MM-3 New Jersey Elderly Person Suicide Prevention Advisory Council.

3. There is established in the Department of Human Services the New Jersey Elderly Person Suicide Prevention Advisory Council.

a. The purpose of the council shall be to examine existing needs of and services for elderly persons at risk of suicide and make recommendations to the department for suicide prevention and intervention strategies to help reduce the incidence of attempted and completed suicides among elderly persons.

b. The council shall consist of nine members as follows:

(1) the Commissioners of Health and Human Services and the chairman of the Community Mental Health Citizens Advisory Board established pursuant to P.L.1957, c.146 (C.30:9A-1 et seq.), or their designees, who shall serve ex officio;

(2) two public members appointed by the Governor, one of whom shall be a person with personal or family experience with suicide of an elderly person and one of whom shall be an alcohol and drug counselor;

(3) two public members appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, who are not members of the same political party, one of whom shall be a registered professional nurse and one of whom shall be a licensed clinical social worker; and

(4) two public members appointed by the President of the Senate, who are not members of the same political party, one of whom shall be a physician who has been specially trained in caring for elderly persons and has a certificate of added qualifications in geriatrics and one of whom shall be a geropsychiatrist.

c. The public members shall be appointed no later than 60 days after the enactment of this act.

d. The public members shall serve for a term of five years; but, of the members first appointed, two shall serve for a term of three years, two shall serve for a term of four years and two shall serve for a term of five years. Members are eligible for reappointment upon the expiration of their terms. Vacancies in the membership of the council shall be filled in the same manner provided for the original appointments.

e. The council shall organize as soon as practicable following the appointment of its members and shall select a chairperson and vice-chairperson from among the members. The chairperson shall appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the council.

f. The public members shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties and within the limits of funds available to the council.

g. The council shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of any State, county, or municipal department, board, bureau, commission, or agency as it may require and as may be available to it for its purposes.

h. The Department of Human Services shall provide staff support to the council.

L.2005, c.274, s.3; amended 2012, c.17, s.326.