Section 30:4-177.39 - Findings, declarationsThe Legislature finds and declares that:
a. There exists a population of two groups of clients of the Division of Mental Health Services and Division of Developmental Disabilities in the Department of Human Services who are underserved in their current institutional settings.b. One group of these individuals is comprised of clients in the State psychiatric hospitals or developmental centers who are developmentally disabled and who exhibit psychiatric or behavioral problems and are known as "dually diagnosed" clients. The severity of their conditions precludes effective treatment in either developmental centers or State psychiatric hospitals. For these clients, a more intensive, specialized, behaviorally oriented program is required.c. The other group of these individuals includes clients of institutions administered by the Division of Mental Health Services who are developmentally disabled, have been administratively or judicially discharged from the Division of Mental Health Services, and who are in need of the services of the Division of Developmental Disabilities. These clients are known as "discharged pending placement" clients.d. There exists on the grounds of Ancora Psychiatric Hospital as a pilot program a facility designed to serve the special needs of both the dually diagnosed and discharged pending placement populations that is unfunded for continued operation.L.1987, c.32, s.1; amended 1995, c.4, s.4.