Requires nursing homes to provide training to staff in behavioral health issues.

This bill (A5500) requires all New Jersey nursing homes to provide annual training to staff who provide direct care to residents - such as certified nurse aides, licensed practical nurses, and registered nurses - on behavioral health issues. The training must cover sensitivity to residents' behavioral health needs, information about depression and psychiatric disorders, and appropriate medication use. The New Jersey Commissioner of Health, working with the Commissioner of Human Services, must develop this training program. It directly affects nursing home staff and residents with behavioral health conditions across the state.