30:4-3.22 State psychiatric hospital to conduct public meetings.

3. Each State psychiatric hospital shall, at least annually, conduct a public meeting to discuss issues relating to the operation of the hospital and concerns of the community with respect to the delivery of services at the hospital.

a. The hospital shall ensure that:

(1) the meeting is conducted in accordance with the provisions of the "Senator Byron M. Baer Open Public Meetings Act," P.L.1975, c.231 (C.10:4-6 et seq.);

(2) at a minimum, the chief executive officer of the hospital or his designee, the chairman of the hospital board of trustees, the Assistant Commissioner of the Division of Mental Health Services in the Department of Human Services or his designee, and at least 25% of the members of the hospital board of trustees are present at the meeting and available to respond to questions from members of the public;

(3) the meeting is open to members of the public and organized so as to provide the community served by the hospital with information about the operation of the hospital, and to provide an opportunity for members of the public to ask questions and raise issues of concern to them; and

(4) public notice of the meeting is provided in accordance with the provisions of this subsection, which shall be deemed to comply with the notice requirements of P.L.1975, c.231, at least 14 days prior to the date of the meeting by posting written notice in the hospital in a conspicuous location that is available to the public, and by publishing the notice in a daily or weekly newspaper of general circulation in the service area of the hospital.

b. The Department of Human Services shall post the notice of the hospital's annual public meeting on the department website at least 30 days prior to the date of the meeting.

L.2008, c.59, s.3.