2022 advocacy expanded edition

N ew Jersey is arguably the most diverse state in the nation with nearly 8.9 million infants, children, youth, adults and seniors of every ethnicity, race, language, culture, gender identity and religion. A high prevalence of mental health and substance use disorders is also present throughout all of these groups. At a time when the mental health and well- being of New Jersey’s rich multicultural population, including the most recent addition of our Afghan guests, continue to be negatively impacted by COVID – whether by loss of a loved one, sickness, economic strain, isolation or other factors – so many of our citizens are in need of mental health and/ or substance use treatment and supports from a system that never had the capacity to treat previous demand levels. At the same time, the pandemic has exposed striking inequities in the prevalence of illnesses and access to health care. To achieve social justice and equity in health care, every individual must have access to mental health and substance use treatment; physical health care; housing; supported education and employment; and assistance in receiving benefits; as well as an array of other necessary services, such as child care and transportation. This is what it will take to create a healthy population. What has been missing to enable Jose, Tyrone, Lisa, Padma, Youssef, Lorenzo, Steven, Keisha, Orkeem and others to achieve good health and reach their potential is access to care. The number and acuity of New Jerseyans needing mental health and/or substance use disorder treatment and supports continues to rise, and, at the same time, the community based behavioral health workforce is at a breaking point. What is needed first and foremost is a stable and growing community- based behavioral health workforce, while gaps in services and improved access to care, among other items, are addressed in order to best meet the needs of our citizens and provide opportunity for the most positive outcomes. Toward these ends, contracts and fee-for- service rates for mental health and substance use treatment and supports need to be increased to match the cost of care. Without a significant investment in behavioral health treatment and supports, New Jersey’s diverse population will not be able to access the services they need and deserve to live their healthiest and most fulfilling lives possible. In these pages, the stories of Amir, Bob, Linda, Aarav, Isabella and Zhan illustrate the profound, powerful, positive effects behavioral health services have on individuals’ lives. s to , every individual must have access to mental health and subst nce use treatment; physic l h alth care; housing; supported education an mployment; and assistance i receiving b nef ts; as w ll as an arr y of other necessa y s rvices, such as child care and tr nsportation. This is what it will tak to create a healthy p pulation. What has been missing to enable Jose, Tyrone, Lis , Padma, Youssef, Lorenzo, Steven, Keisha, Orkeem and others to achieve good health and reach their potential is access to care. The numb r and acuity of New Jerseyans ne di g mental health and/or substance use disor er treatment and supports ontinue to ris , a d, at the same tim , th community- based behavior l he lth w rkforce is at a reaking point. W at is needed first and foremost is a stable and growing ommunity- based be avioral he lth wo kforce, while gaps in services and improved access to care, among other items, are addressed in order to best meet the needs of our citizens and provide oppo tunity for the m s positive outcomes. Toward hese e s, contracts an fee-for- service rates for mental health and substance use treatment and supports need to be increased to match the cost of car . Without a significa t investm nt in beh vioral alth tr atment and supports, N w Jersey’s diverse population will n t be able to access the services they need and deserve to live their healthiest nd most fulfilling lives possible. In these pages, the stories of Amir, Bob, Linda, Aarav, Isabella and Zhan i lustrate the profound, powerful, positive effects behavioral health services have on individuals’ lives. 3 Too Many New Jerseyans Are Not Receiving the Behavioral Health Services They Deserve