As New Jersey’s Legislature deliberates on the governor’s proposed $56 billion budget, stakeholders including school officials, advocates, and healthcare professionals are intensifying calls for enhanced state funding to tackle mental health challenges among young individuals.
Megann Anderson Fischer, Executive Director of the New Jersey Alliance for Children, Youth, and Families, emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “The mental health system in New Jersey is failing our children. The youth of our state and their families cannot wait any longer for life-saving care.” Fischer urged lawmakers to allocate $65 million to the New Jersey Department of Children and Families to address the burgeoning youth mental health crisis.
This appeal for increased funding coincides with alarming global trends revealing a doubling of childhood depression and anxiety symptoms during the pandemic. Studies cited by The Jed Foundation underscored a significant decline in face-to-face interactions among individuals aged 15 to 24 over the past two decades.
Moreover, New Jersey grapples with a shortage of mental health professionals, including licensed social workers, certified alcohol and drug counselors, and psychiatrists. A recent survey by the state Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies identified 501 vacant positions in various mental health professions. Dr. Debra L. Wentz, President and CEO of the association, called for a 7% increase in contracts within the Department of Children and Families to attract and retain mental health professionals.
The organization also urged legislators to invest an additional $32 million in care management organizations to meet the rising demand for services. These organizations, which provide vital support for young people with behavioral health, developmental, or substance-use disorders, currently face resource challenges exacerbated by a lack of rate increases in the proposed budget.
Despite the proposed budget’s allocation of $43 million to the New Jersey Statewide Student Support Services (NJ4S) network, mental health professionals express hope for additional funding directed towards school-based youth services. Gary Nelson, Executive Director for The Center for Family and Community Empowerment, stressed the importance of partnering with smaller community-based organizations deeply entrenched in local communities to deliver effective interventions.
While the “hub-and-spoke” model receives a funding boost in the upcoming budget, stakeholders emphasize the need for comprehensive support systems to address the multifaceted challenges of youth mental health. With the constitutional deadline for enacting a balanced budget looming on July 1, the pressure mounts on policymakers to prioritize mental health funding to safeguard the wellbeing of New Jersey’s youth.
