Joseph Vitale

26 Jun: Vitale ‘New Jersey False Claims Act’ Approved By Budget Panel

TRENTON – Senator Joseph F. Vitale, D-Middlesex, the Chair of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee, issued the following statement today regarding the Senate Budget Committee’s approval, by a vote of 14-0, of a bill he sponsored entitled the “New Jersey Medicaid False Claims Act,” to crack down on fraud and abuse within the Medicaid program:

“Whatever the economic climate, it is imperative that we seek to eliminate waste and fraud in government to ensure that the services we offer are not tainted by unethical abuses, or over-inflated by those seeking to make a wrongful profit at the expense of the taxpayer.

26 Jun: Vitale Bill Establishing Department Of Children And Families Approved

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Joseph F. Vitale which would create the Department of Children and Families (DCF) as a standalone department in the executive branch to deal with children’s welfare and family support programs was approved by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee today by a vote of 7-0.

“With the restructuring of our State’s child welfare and family programs into a separate department within the executive branch, we are making child safety a priority,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex, the Chair of the Senate Health panel. “Government has no greater obligation than to protect its most vulnerable, and one of the key missions of the new department will be to oversee the State’s DYFS (Division of Youth and Family Services) system. We’ve made progress with DYFS reform, but a new department, with its own resources and structured goals, will be able to move us light years ahead of where we currently stand.”

22 Jun: Senate Grants Final Approval To Buono/Vitale Drug Price Registry Measure

TRENTON – The Senate gave final unanimous approval today to a measure sponsored by Senators Barbara Buono and Joseph Vitale that would create the “New Jersey Prescription Drug Retail Price Registry” to provide consumers with easy access to prescription drug prices at local pharmacies.

“Consumers can compare prices for practically any product in today’s economy,” said Senator Buono, D-Middlesex. “Unfortunately, many people don’t price compare simply because it takes so much time to track down prescription prices from local pharmacies. The price registry will be a valuable tool for New Jerseyans, especially for seniors and others who have a hard time getting around.”

22 Jun: Rice-Vitale Bill To Set Up Community-Based Living For Developmentally Disabled Receives Final Leg. Approval

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Ronald L. Rice and Joseph F. Vitale which would begin to move certain residents in New Jersey’s developmental centers to live in community-based settings was unanimously approved by the Assembly today, receiving final legislative approval.

“Through this legislation, we can give adults living with disability a little freedom and independence while still giving them the treatment and attention they need,” said Senator Rice, D-Essex. “Moving out on one’s own is a turning point for many from adolescence to adulthood, and we’re extending that same opportunity to New Jersey’s developmentally disabled community. If their individual treatment plan allows it, developmentally disabled citizens should be allowed to find their own place in the community.”

22 Jun: Vitale Bill To Educate Parents On Meningitis Approved By Senate

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Joseph F. Vitale which would require the Departments of Health and Senior Services and Education to provide information to parents of students in grades 6-12 about meningococcal meningitis was unanimously approved by the Senate today.

“Meningitis is a killer, but it’s a killer that can be contained,” said Senator Vitale. “With the right information and precautions, parents can protect their kids against this deadly disease. Through early detection, the survival rate for meningitis increases dramatically.”

20 Jun: Vitale, Cryan Introduce Legislation To Create New Department Of Children And Families

TRENTON – Senator Joseph F. Vitale and Assemblyman Joseph Cryan introduced legislation to create a new state Department of Children and Families to coordinate and refocus efforts to reform New Jersey’s child protection services.

The new department would be created by separating out the state’s Office of Children’s Services – which includes the Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS) -from the Department of Human Services and converting the agency into a stand-alone executive branch department.

19 Jun: Buono/Vitale Drug Price Registry Measure Through Budget

TRENTON – The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee approved legislation today sponsored by Senators Barbara Buono and Joseph Vitale that would provide consumers with easy access to prescription drug prices at local pharmacies through a newly created “New Jersey Prescription Drug Retail Price Registry.”

“Competition and choice are the key in helping consumers save money on their prescriptions,” said Senator Buono, D-Middlesex. “Right now, many people don’t price compare simply because it takes so much time to track down prescription prices from local pharmacies. For seniors and others who have a hard time getting around, the price registry is going to be a real boon.”

15 Jun: Vitale-Weinberg Bill To Ensure Access To Outpatient Cancer Care Advances

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Joseph F. Vitale and Loretta Weinberg which would require outpatient cancer care facilities to provide services to patients without regard to pay or source of payment was approved by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee today by a vote of 5-0, with one abstention.

“Whether you’re young, old, rich or poor, cancer doesn’t discriminate, and is an equal-opportunity disease that strikes all segments of the population,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex, the chair of the health panel. “Our State’s outpatient cancer treatment and testing facilities shouldn’t discriminate either. We need to ensure that everyone, regardless of their economic situation, has access to the best cancer care that New Jersey has to offer.”

15 Jun: Vitale Bill To Educate Parents On Meningitis Advances In Committee

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Joseph F. Vitale which would require the Departments of Health and Senior Services and Education to provide information to parents of students in grades 6-12 about meningococcal meningitis was unanimously approved by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee today.

“Our best weapon against the spread and survival of meningitis is information,” said Senator Vitale. “If caught early, bacterial meningitis can be effectively treated by antibiotics, but it’s important that parents are educated to be able to spot the symptoms of the disease before it progresses to fatal levels. Also, parents should know that proper vaccination all but ensures that students will not catch this potentially deadly disease.”

08 Jun: Vitale Pushes Pelzman Initiative To Promote Senior Home Improvements

TRENTON – Following Woodbridge Mayor Frank Pelzman’s call in his 2006 State of the Township Address for senior citizen homeowners to be exempt from construction permit fees, Senator Joseph F. Vitale has pushed through legislation to accomplish this on a Statewide basis, which was approved today by the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee by a vote of 4-0.

“For so many seniors living on fixed incomes, and trying to balance a budget of high-cost medications and day-to-day living, home improvements can be next to impossible,” said Senator Vitale, D-Woodbridge. “By removing the permitting cost from the equation, we can do our part in promoting senior home improvements, and allowing them to maintain their quality of life and remain an important part of their communities. Mayor Pelzman deserves a lot of credit for pushing this important initiative in Woodbridge, and we think it will work well for the rest of New Jersey.”