Students in New Jersey struggling with anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts face increased challenges in accessing essential mental health services after nearly $1 billion in federal school-based mental health funding was canceled last week by the Trump administration.
The New Jersey Department of Education’s $15 million initiative, designed to expand mental health services in schools, was in its third year of a five-year plan. However, the program will now be cut short by two years, according to a statement from the governor’s office.
“This is awful and terribly short-sighted,” said Julie Larrea Borst, executive director of Save Our Schools New Jersey Community Organizing. “We have a real mental health crisis among our kids for various reasons. But without professionally trained professionals in schools, this could be really harmful.”
Mental health issues have worsened for many young people in New Jersey, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, five children between the ages of 10 and 14 died by suicide, following 11 deaths in the same age group in the previous year. Additionally, over 50 people aged 15 to 24 died by suicide in 2023, though the number was an improvement from the 79 suicides recorded in 2022.
The canceled project was part of the federal School-Based Mental Health Services Grant Program, created under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to address the increasing mental health needs of students. Approved in December 2022, the funding aimed to boost the number of school counselors, psychologists, and social workers in districts with high poverty and a shortage of mental health professionals.
With the funding, New Jersey was able to add 68 new school-based mental health professionals, expanding services to over 40,000 students. Laura Fredrick, a spokesperson for the state Department of Education, emphasized that the program was critical to meeting students’ mental health needs.
In response to the funding cuts, Governor Phil Murphy expressed his disappointment, stating, “Now is not the time to waver on mental health initiatives for children. We should be working together to build a broader continuum of support for our young people and their families.”
Dr. Stephanie Marcello, chief psychologist at Rutgers Health University Behavioral Health Care, underscored the importance of school-based mental health services, noting that issues often manifest as behavioral or physical symptoms. Addressing these challenges in schools is vital to supporting students’ overall well-being.
Other New Jersey school districts, such as Jersey City, also face the loss of federal funding for mental health programs. Jersey City public schools will lose nearly $4 million from the canceled Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grant Program, which was set to train professionals to work directly with students. Superintendent Norma Fernandez said the loss would affect about 8,000 students, deeply impacting the district’s ability to support students’ safety and mental health.
Despite these setbacks, New Jersey continues to provide resources for youth mental health. Governor Murphy’s proposed budget includes $43 million for the New Jersey Statewide Student Support Services (NJ4S) network in the upcoming fiscal year.
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