2025 advocacy piece

12 Untold Stories Recommendations: Care Management Organizations (CMOs) within the Children’s System of Care have seen rising census numbers since the start of the pandemic, as well as increased acuity (substance use and suicidal behavior) and children as young as two years old needing services. One CMO experienced a 40% increase in the number of employees who left the agency from 2020 to 2021 and a 100% increase from 2020 to 2022. Though the agency expanded as quickly as possible to Provide $300,000 for training staff who provide services to children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Increase the number of inpatient beds for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Provide $17 million in state funds to increase Care Management Organizations’ per member/per month rate to $1,200 (garnering a $17 million federal match). Provide a $3 million increase to School Based Youth Services Programs. meet the increased demands of the mental health crisis, turnover continued at a higher rate. The “veteran” care managers identified additional stressors to the job, including the growing severity of needs of incoming families and heightened periods of crisis. Also, salaries are not keeping up with inflation and cost of living, and care managers are having to obtain second jobs, which further contribute to burnout. In exit interviews, staff identified people leaving because the work was demanding and, in many cases, overwhelming and as a result, they had a hard time meeting the needs of the families they strived to serve. The lack of resources available has been difficult for staff as it leaves them with no potential solutions to provide support. In general, all these factors become burdensome and can lead to feelings of hopelessness in the helping professionals. 35,000 30,000 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 Youth Served by Care Management Organizations in the Year 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 21,907 23,049 22,914 25,112 24,478 26,345 29,959 33,001 Statewide Source: Children’s System of Care Data Portal, Rutgers University