News

April 10, 2023 On March 30, 2023, the New Jersey Assembly passed A5240, legislation that "Requires DCF [Department of Children and Families] to publish and disseminate information on early childhood mental health ...

April 6, 2023 On Monday, April 3, 2023, Governor Murphy signed Executive Order (EO) number 325, rescinding COVID-19 vaccination and testing requirements for high-risk congregate settings, including locations such as hospitals, nursing homes, and prisons. Individuals who have been or...

Acting State Comptroller Kevin Walsh has released his third report in a series on Medicaid spending in nursing homes, titled, "New Jersey Medicaid Continues to Fund Poor Quality Care for Nursing Home Residents." The report provides a current list of 12 New Jersey nursing homes that ...

On March 30, 2023, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) provided final approval for the "New Jersey FamilyCare Comprehensive Demonstration" renewal that operates under a Medicaid 1115 waiver. The approval extends several authorities that previously had been authorized for New Je...

Today, March 29, 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Narcan, a brand of naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray manufactured by Opiant Pharmaceuticals, for over-the-counter (OTC), nonprescription use. As stated in an FDA release, "Naloxone is a medication that rapidl...

March 28, 2023 Statement from Debra L. Wentz, PhD, President and CEO Barely three months into 2023, the 89th school shooting of the year occurred in Nashville yesterday. Actions must be taken immediately and on an ongoing basis - through strong legislation and expansion of the beh...

March 28, 2023 On Thursday March 23, 2023, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Health, held a hearing on healthcare costs "to examine how inflation and high health care costs have impacted patients, small businesses, and independent medical p...

March 27, 2023 On Tuesday, March 21, 2023, the United States Supreme Court ruled on the case of Luna Perez v. Sturgis Public Schools, determining that the Perez family could sue for damages under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), related to the school providing an inadequate ...

March 23, 2023 On Friday, March 17, 2023, Governor Phil Murphy signed into law S783, which establishes the Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund, as well as requirements for proceeds from opioid settlements to support substance use disorder prevention and treatment programs. As sta...

March 20, 2023 On Wednesday, March 15, 2023, President Joe Biden delivered remarks on his Administration's plan to lower prescription drug costs. Among the efforts highlighted by President Biden is the Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program, which enforces inflation p...

March 16, 2023 The Winter Termination Program has prevented electric, gas, and water utility companies from shutting off New Jersey residents' utilities due to nonpayment since November 2022. That moratorium officially ended on March 15, 2023, potentially exposing many New Jerseyans t...

March 13, 2023 Yesterday, President Joe Biden released his blueprint for the federal FY2024 budget. The White House said it was based on four key goals: "To invest in America, lower costs for families, protect and strengthen Medicare and Social Security, and reduce the deficit". ...

March 9, 2023 The New Jersey Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee will host an in-person public hearing as part of its budget review process on Tuesday, March 14, 2023, beginning at 10:00 a.m. ET, at Ramapo College of New Jersey, Trustees Pavilion, 505 Ramapo Valley Road, Mahwah...

March 7, 2023 The New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH), in response to growing racial disparities in overdose deaths, is launching a new overdose hotspot outreach initiative, prioritizing areas of the state with high disparities and high rates of overdose among Black residents. ...

March 6, 2023 On March 2, 2023, the New Jersey Senate Education Committee held a hearing on student and teen mental health in response to much commentary on the issue following the highly publicized death by suicide last month of 14-year-old Adriana Kuch and a rise in teen suicide rat...

March 1, 2023 COVID-19, associated isolation and other related difficulties are commonly considered to be the most significant factors contributing to the increasing rates of depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts and behaviors among teenagers. While this is a fact, it is also true...

February 28, 2023 Statement from Debra L. Wentz, PhD, President and CEO The New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies (NJAMHAA) is elated with Governor Phil Murphy's proposed significant investments in the behavioral healthcare workforce. It is clear that Gov....

February 28, 2023 Last week, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced proposed permanent rules for the prescribing of medications via telemedicine, expanding patient access to critical therapies beyond the scheduled end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency....

February 27, 2023 The New Jersey Department of Human Services (DHS) has published its February 2023 newsletter, highlighting a number of important stories and initiatives. Federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance...

February 23, 2023 On February 22, 2023, Dr. Rahul Gupta, Director of the White House National Office of Drug Control Policy, announced that medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for substance use disorders would be made available at all federal correctional facilities. Dr. Gupta spoke...