Healthcare (Mental Health)

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 2125: Requires DCF to publish and disseminate information on early childhood mental health to certain professionals.

This bill requires New Jersey's Department of Children and Families (DCF) to publish and share early childhood mental health information on its website and distribute it directly to social workers, teachers, and child care workers who primarily serve children under age 5. The information must cover three key areas: raising awareness about early mental health, properly sharing concerns with parents/guardians, and connecting families to state or community resources for mental health assessments. DCF may also offer in-service training for these professionals on the shared materials. The law aims to equip frontline workers with consistent, accessible resources to support young children's mental health needs.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates DCF to disseminate early childhood mental health resources to professionals, connecting families to assessments and support, directly advancing mental health services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health

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in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 2375: Requires suicide prevention training for mental health practitioners.

S 2375 requires mental health practitioners licensed in New Jersey - including clinical social workers, psychologists, counselors, and therapists - to complete four hours of approved suicide prevention training. New license applicants must complete this training before licensure, and all licensed practitioners must renew it every six years. Existing practitioners must complete the initial training within one year of the law's effective date. The Division of Consumer Affairs will maintain a list of approved training programs, which must cover suicide prevention, assessment, screening, treatment, and management in clinical settings. This bill directly affects all 9 licensed mental health practitioner categories under Title 45 of New Jersey law.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates suicide prevention training for mental health practitioners, enhancing service quality and patient safety in mental health care.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medical Licensing Mental Health

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in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 2828: Requires local boards of education to employ certain number of staff with expertise in student mental health.

This bill requires every public school in New Jersey to employ at least two full-time staff members with expertise in student mental health - specifically licensed school counselors or school psychologists - starting in the first full school year after enactment. For schools with over 500 students, districts must add additional staff in proportion to enrollment. The law applies directly to all local school boards and affects every public school building statewide. It mandates concrete staffing levels without specifying funding mechanisms or outcomes.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates mental health staff in schools, directly enhancing student support programs and aligning with education topic of student well-being and school services.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates hiring licensed mental health staff in schools, directly expanding student access to mental health services per healthcare topic description.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety Student Health Mental Health

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in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 2963: Establishes public awareness campaign on dangers of social media use to minors; appropriates $500,000.

This bill directs New Jersey's Department of Education to create a public awareness campaign about social media risks for minors, using $500,000 in state funds. The campaign will target parents and guardians, drawing on the U.S. Surgeon General’s 2023 findings about youth mental health impacts, and will launch within 180 days of the bill’s enactment. It will use statewide media - including TV ads, radio, social media, and newspapers - to share research-based safety guidance. The Department must report on the campaign’s progress to the Governor and Legislature within 24 months.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds public awareness campaign on social media's mental health impacts to minors using Surgeon General's 2023 findings, directly supporting mental health services under healthcare topic.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health

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in committee · New Jersey · Senate Feb 19, 2026

S 1233: Establishes "Cop 2 Cop Sustainability Fund" to support "Law Enforcement Officer Crisis Intervention Services" Cop 2 Cop telephone hotline program; appropriates $500,000.

This bill establishes the "Cop 2 Cop Sustainability Fund" to provide stable, ongoing funding for a confidential 24-hour crisis hotline supporting New Jersey law enforcement officers and sheriff's officers. It appropriates $500,000 annually from the General Fund starting in fiscal year 2025 to sustain the existing "Law Enforcement Officer Crisis Intervention Services" program, which currently receives $400,000 from Body Armor Replacement Funds. The hotline offers confidential peer support for officers experiencing psychological stress, trauma, or emotional distress related to their work. Operators must be trained in law enforcement-specific mental health issues, and the program ensures caller confidentiality while allowing limited tracking for severe cases. The fund will also accept additional revenues from other sources to support the program's long-term operation.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates $500k annually from General Fund to fund crisis hotline for law enforcement, increasing funding from current $400k.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeFunds a law enforcement officer crisis hotline program, directly supporting law enforcement within criminal justice system.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds mental health crisis hotline for law enforcement officers, directly supporting mental health services under healthcare policy through $500,000 annual appropriation.90% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget Law Enforcement Mental Health

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in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 735: Prohibits advertising artificial intelligence system as licensed mental health professional.

This bill prohibits anyone developing or deploying an AI system in New Jersey from advertising or claiming the system can act as a licensed mental health professional. It directly affects AI developers and companies that deploy mental health-related AI tools in the state. The law defines "licensed mental health professional" broadly to include all state-licensed practitioners (like therapists, counselors, and psychologists) and specifies that AI systems cannot be marketed as providing such services. Violations would be treated as consumer fraud under state law, potentially resulting in fines up to $20,000 per offense. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Commerce Committee.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcarePrevents misleading AI claims as licensed mental health professionals, protecting patient safety and professional standards in mental health services.95% confidence ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyBill restricts AI marketing as licensed mental health professionals, limiting AI's use in healthcare services per its advertising prohibitions.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Mental Health Artificial Intelligence

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in committee · New Jersey · Senate May 18, 2026

S 374: Requires health benefits coverage for treatment of lipedema.

This bill requires health insurance plans in New Jersey to cover specific treatments for lipedema, a chronic fat disorder. It mandates coverage for compression garments, manual lymphatic drainage, medical nutrition therapy, mental health care, and medically necessary lipectomies (including pre- and post-surgery appointments). Insurers must base coverage decisions on physician diagnoses and surgeon documentation (including photos for lipectomies), cannot deny coverage solely based on photos, and must honor prior authorizations for lipectomies for one year. The coverage must match the same deductibles, coinsurance, and standards of care as other similar medical treatments. This directly affects insured residents diagnosed with lipedema and their health insurance providers.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurance coverage for lipedema treatments including mental health care and medical procedures, expanding patient access and protecting coverage rights per physician documentation.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Mental Health

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in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 2363: Requires employees of gambling and addiction related State entities to participate in problem gambler training program.

S 2363 requires public-facing employees at specific New Jersey state entities - including the Casino Control Commission, State Lottery, Racing Commission, Gaming Enforcement Division, and Mental Health Services - to complete a state-developed training program on supporting problem gamblers. The training, created by the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services with input from gaming and gambling advocacy groups, teaches staff to respond empathetically, provide accurate resource information, and guide patrons through self-exclusion processes. It applies to all employees who interact with the public at these gambling- or addiction-related agencies. The program may be updated periodically as best practices for addressing gambling addiction evolve.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates training for mental health entity staff on problem gambling support, directly advancing mental health services through staff education and resource provision.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health Substance Abuse

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in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 28, 2026

S 3199: Requires DVA establish Veterans Outdoor Recovery Task Force.

New Jersey's S 3199 requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) to create a Veterans Outdoor Recovery Task Force. The task force, led by DVA and Environmental Protection commissioners, will identify barriers and coordinate with agencies to expand veterans' access to outdoor therapy on public lands. It must hold public hearings, develop recommendations for improving outdoor healing programs, and report findings to the legislature within 18 months. The bill directly affects veterans seeking mental health and rehabilitation support through outdoor activities, aiming to facilitate their use of public spaces for healing.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill creates task force to expand veterans' access to outdoor therapy (mental health service), aiming to reduce barriers and improve program coordination for healthcare access.85% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransCreates task force to expand veterans' access to outdoor therapy programs, directly enhancing healthcare access and services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health Substance Abuse Veteran Healthcare Veteran Housing Veteran Mental Health

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in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 2663: Requires Commissioner of Human Services to establish 24-hour, toll-free Mental Illness Resource Hotline and develop hotline connection system to ensure that callers are connected to other appropriate hotlines when needed.

This bill establishes a 24-hour, toll-free mental health hotline in New Jersey for non-emergency mental health issues. It requires the Human Services Commissioner to staff the hotline with licensed professionals (including multilingual staff) who connect callers to local resources, with special protocols for suicide risk calls (requiring a "warm hand-off" to the state suicide hotline). The hotline must operate separately from existing hotlines, and the state must run public awareness campaigns - including materials for youth - to promote its use. The bill directly affects New Jersey residents seeking non-emergency mental health support and aims to improve access to community-based services.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes 24/7 mental health hotline with licensed staff and warm hand-offs, directly improving access to mental health services per bill's requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health

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