Exempts simple assault on health care worker at psychiatric screening center from being automatically upgraded to aggravated assault under certain circumstances.

This bill would amend New Jersey law to prevent simple assaults on health care workers at psychiatric screening centers from automatically being classified as aggravated assault when the perpetrator is a patient seeking psychiatric screening at that center. Currently, simple assaults on health care workers at most facilities are automatically upgraded to aggravated assault, but psychiatric screening centers aren't specifically included in the exception. The bill would add "health care worker at any psychiatric screening center" to the list of protected individuals, while maintaining that assaults on direct care workers at psychiatric hospitals remain aggravated assault. This change aims to prevent counterproductive legal consequences for patients who may be agitated during screening. The bill specifically excludes cases where the perpetrator is a patient at the screening center for the purpose of undergoing psychiatric screening.