Not long ago, I met a 13-year-old girl struggling with depression. Her mother had called dozens of offices trying to find a child psychiatrist who accepted their insurance—with no luck. Finally, through their pediatrician’s connection to the New Jersey Pediatric Psychiatry Collaborative, her daughter was seen, assessed and referred to care within days.
That kind of fast, coordinated response is exactly what’s at risk if we allow federal indifference and state-level disinvestment to derail progress.
In May, the Trump administration announced it would halt more than $1 billion in federal grants that schools use to fund mental health teams. These cuts, alongside threats to Medicaid and the 988-crisis line, represent a dangerous rollback of support for children’s mental health.
As Gov. Phil Murphy said, these moves are “an assault on the mental health of our children and families.”
But there’s a critical decision happening here in New Jersey, one that’s entirely within state lawmakers’ control. In Murphy’s proposed budget, funding for the NJPPC is significantly cut. If legislators don’t act, this successful and essential program may no longer be able to serve children statewide.
We’re calling on the New Jersey Legislature to fully restore NJPPC funding and stand by the programs that are helping children get the care they urgently need.
As physicians who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness, we at the New Jersey Psychiatric Association, see the youth mental health crisis firsthand. Anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and suicidal ideation are on the rise. Families face months-long waits for care — if they can find it at all.
Now is not the time to retreat from mental health investment — it’s time to double down on what works. Fortunately, New Jersey has developed proven, innovative programs that expand access to mental health care for children.
One of the most effective tools we’ve developed is the New Jersey Pediatric Psychiatry Collaborative, a statewide initiative that connects pediatric care providers and child psychiatrists to deliver early, coordinated care. The program doesn’t just treat — it empowers pediatricians to detect mental health issues, provides families with personalized care navigation, and makes smart use of our limited psychiatric workforce. It’s one of the most effective and compassionate investments our state has made.
The results are powerful. While families in New Jersey often wait four to eight months — or more — to see a child psychiatrist, NJPPC offers access to a mental health specialist within a week. It’s free to patients and providers and is available in every county in New Jersey.
Cutting NJPPC funding would undo years of progress and worsen already long wait times for mental health care. This isn’t a new program or an unproven initiative — it’s a trusted, statewide model that works. New Jersey’s children can’t afford to lose it.
Beyond NJPPC, we must also protect other key supports. Telehealth, for example, proved transformative during the pandemic — especially for families with limited transportation, those in rural areas, or working parents. The state must maintain permanent insurance coverage for telehealth with full pay parity, so families can continue accessing care without added financial or logistical barriers.
And we must address the shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists. That means investing in fellowship programs, expanding residency training, and creating loan repayment incentives to attract and retain psychiatrists in New Jersey.
Some may argue that rising mental health diagnoses are just the result of increased awareness.
But research from the CDC and NIH confirms these are real increases — and serious ones. This is not a perception problem. It’s a public health emergency.
Our message is simple: don’t turn your back on children’s mental health. Restore full funding for the NJPPC. Protect telehealth. Build the workforce. Invest in what we know works.
This is a moment for leadership. As federal support falters, New Jersey can — and must — step up. Let’s build on the solutions we already know are working and ensure that every child, in every corner of our state, can access the care they need when they need it.
Dr. Falisha Gilman is writing on behalf of the New Jersey Psychiatric Association as the co-chair of the NJPA Council on Advocacy.
