NJAMHAA FY23 Advocacy Campaign

Invest in the Partners in Care Needed for a Comprehensive Crisis Response System In June of 2022, Governor Murphy signed S311 into law (P.L.2022, c.35) to establish New Jersey’s “behavioral health crisis system of care”. This was just a first step that set a framework for development of New Jersey’s 988 Crisis Response System. As implementation of community-based crisis mobile teams and crisis stabilization centers begins in 2023, the state must also invest in expanded mobile outreach for its Psychiatric Emergency Screening Services (PESS), a critical component of the Crisis Response System. Community-based mobile crisis teams and stabilization centers will result in fewer emergency room visits; however, a significant number of individuals in crisis will continue to need PESS that are currently predominantly hospital based. Hospital visits could be further reduced if all PESS programs have sufficient funding to thoroughly support mobile outreach services. Both community-based and PESS mobile teams must be fully funded to allow New Jerseyans in crisis to receive the most appropriate and timely services. IN CONCLUSION New Jersey must take full advantage of the current opportunity to build a comprehensive, integrated behavioral health system that is accessible, effective and responsive to Elaina, Lucia, Favio, Illias, Stephanie, Julio and others like them. Such a system will provide for better outcomes for all New Jersey’s diverse children, youth and adults and benefit the state’s bottom line. Long underfunded, the workforce and infrastructure of community-based providers require significant investment to fully cover the costs of providing services, as well as to expand programs for improved access to timely, culturally competent and linguistically appropriate care for Stephanie, Julio and others by partners in care, such as Edna, Adiba, Amy, Jennifer, Kayla and Sonia. New Jersey must seize the opportunities before it - abundant surplus funds, successful models of care, and increasing public demand for accessible behavioral health services – and build the community-based behavioral health system that all of New Jersey’s diverse citizens deserve! Visit NJAMHAA’s YouTube channel to watch the Partners inCare and the individuals they served share their stories. “988 is designed to have three components: • Someone to call (or chat or text) • Someone to come (to where you are) • Somewhere to go (for mental health or substance use care in the community)” New Jersey Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services, 988 Updated PowerPoint, Sept. 2022 988 “Preparing for full 988 implementation requires a bold vision for a crisis care system that provides direct, life-saving services to all in need.” SAMHSA988 Fact Sheet 15 H  