NJ's largest behavioral health facility gets $10 million to expand youth inpatient program
MONTGOMERY – The state has awarded $10 million for the expansion of the Hackensack Meridian Health Carrier Clinic Child and Adolescent inpatient program.
The grant, announced on Wednesday, will help fund a $28 million expansion of New Jersey's largest behavioral health facility.
The project will include up to 52 inpatient rooms for children, adolescents and adults; creation of a Family Support and Resource Center to help patients and their families through treatment; and an Academic Teaching Center and Medical Staff Suite to expand the capacity to teach physicians and other mental health professionals.
The grant will be funded through $5 million from the 2022 state budget and $5 million from 2023 budget.
Assembly Speaker Craig J. Coughlin. D-Middlesex, and other legislators announced the grant at a news conference.
“Our young people are vulnerable, and the biggest challenge families are up against is time,” Coughlin said. “Right now, children and teens are waiting far too long to get into the right facility, referred to the right doctor’s office, and connected to the appropriate resources. Speaking to mental health practitioners who are on the front lines, one of the things I hear about often is the lack of in-patient beds, and that’s a need that this funding will help fulfill.”
Investing in behavioral health has become a priority for the administration of Gov. Phil Murphy, state officials said.
“Gov. Murphy’s administration in partnership with Speaker Coughlin and the Legislature has made historic investments in the fiscal year 2023 budget to support and expand mental health services, particularly for young people who are struggling,” said Department of Human Services Commissioner Sarah Adelman. “These funds are building the pipeline of mental health professionals, creating more bed capacity, investing in innovation and increasing access to services for individuals across New Jersey’s communities. This expansion of services by the Carrier Clinic comes at a critically important time and these historic investments have helped make this possible.”
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Hackensack Meridian Health welcomed the announcement.
"We know that the only way to tackle this youth mental health crisis, is through collaboration with strong partners – government, other health care partners and community stakeholders," said Robert C. Garrett, CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health. “Together, we are making a difference.”
District 16 legislators also applauded the grant.
“New Jersey families can sometimes struggle to access mental health care for their children,” said Assemblywoman Sadaf Jaffer, D-Somerset, a former Montgomery mayor. “By adding beds specifically for the behavioral health needs of children, we are working to create healthier, happier, and more resilient communities."
Email: mdeak@mycentraljersey.com
Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Carrier Clinic gets $10M to expand youth inpatient program
