If a child calls a suicide prevention hotline in New Jersey, Democrats want to keep those calls confidential and away from parents, according to a bill being pushed in Trenton.
TRENTON, N.J. – A bill advancing through the New Jersey Legislature would let operators of the New Jersey Suicide Hopeline make follow-up calls to minors 16 and older without notifying or obtaining consent from a parent or guardian.
Supporters say the measure could save lives by removing barriers for at-risk teens, while opponents argue it cuts parents out of critical moments in their children’s care.
Assembly Bill 3016, approved by the Assembly Aging and Human Services Committee, amends state law to allow minors who reach out to the hotline to voluntarily consent to receive a follow-up call. Under the bill, that consent would carry the same legal weight as an adult’s, and the call would be considered confidential between the operator and the minor.
Currently, national suicide prevention guidelines bar operators from contacting minors again without parental permission, even if the caller is considered at high risk.
Lawmakers behind the measure say this restriction can delay support for suicidal teens and that the proposed change would bring state policy in line with other minor consent laws already allowing certain mental health and substance use treatments without parental involvement.
Republicans warn bill excludes parents from crisis situations
Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia (R-Sussex) voiced strong opposition, calling the measure part of a “persistent and repetitive anti-parent culture” in Trenton. “This bill would allow follow-up calls to minors from the New Jersey Suicide Hopeline without any obligation whatsoever to alert a parent or guardian,” Fantasia said during floor debate. “Parents are not obstacles. They provide support. They deserve to be able to intervene.”
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Fantasia added that “when the state sidelines parents, kids suffer,” arguing that removing families from the process could erode trust and accountability. Other GOP lawmakers have echoed that concern, saying the policy could create legal conflicts if a crisis escalates without a parent’s knowledge.
Supporters cite research on suicide prevention
Backers of the bill note that the Hopeline, operated through Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care and the Department of Human Services, received more than 15,000 calls from young people under 25 in 2018. Studies cited by the committee show that follow-up calls from trained crisis counselors significantly reduce suicide risk and increase treatment engagement.
Proponents say the legislation would enable hotline workers to maintain contact with youth who voluntarily sought help and who may be reluctant to involve parents out of fear, stigma, or unsafe home conditions.
Mental health advocates call bill a safety measure, not secrecy
Advocates for the measure argue that the bill does not bar parents from being involved, but ensures that minors in immediate crisis have continued access to professional help. They emphasize that all follow-up calls must be initiated with the minor’s explicit consent and handled by licensed or trained professionals under state supervision.
If enacted, A3016 would make New Jersey one of the few states to formally authorize confidential follow-up outreach to minors by suicide prevention hotlines. The proposal now awaits consideration by the full Assembly before moving to the Senate.