Thank You for Your Voice!
NJPSA’s Government Relations team extends our sincere thanks to the more than 200 members who took the time to participate in our recent Student Mental Health/NJ4S survey. Your willingness to share candid, thoughtful, and experience-based feedback has made a meaningful impact.
Because of your participation, we were able to bring a true “boots on the ground” perspective directly to the Governor’s Office last week. The response was both encouraging and significant. Governor Sherrill’s Office expressed deep appreciation for the valuable insights provided by you – the users of the system – and made clear that much of what was shared reflected realities they had not fully heard or understood before. Several findings were described as surprising. Most importantly, your feedback will directly inform their ongoing work and decision-making around student mental health services in New Jersey’s public schools.
Read the final Survey Results Report here.
As you can see, the sum of your responses paint a clear and urgent picture: New Jersey schools are on the front lines of a growing student mental health crisis, and need additional support to meet the moment.
A System Under Strain
- School leaders overwhelmingly report widespread and escalating mental health needs, with anxiety (nearly 90%), depression, trauma, and home-related stress among the most common challenges.
- Many districts estimate that 20% to 40% (or more) of their students are currently experiencing mental health issues.
Schools as the Primary Provider
- In the absence of accessible community-based care, schools have become the primary mental health provider for students.
- However, members consistently reported that staffing limitations, lack of licensed clinicians, and insufficient training hinder their ability to respond effectively.
The Most Critical Need: In-School Support
- The top priority identified was increased direct, in-school counseling services (nearly 80% of respondents).
- Members emphasized the importance of immediate, on-site access to care, along with expanded group counseling, prevention programs, and family supports.
Barriers Beyond the School Walls
- Significant challenges persist outside of school, including:
- Financial barriers and insurance limitations
- Lack of available providers and long waitlists
- Limited parental follow-through and engagement
NJ4S: A Critical Resource Worth Sustaining
- Members strongly value the NJ4S program, citing its role in:
- Expanding access to mental health supports
- Removing barriers like transportation and insurance
- Providing direct, school-based services and staff training
- Many warned that any disruption to NJ4S services would create immediate and significant gaps in student support
- Not without room for improvement with some reporting issues with waste and communication and recommended stronger guardrails – especially in the southern part of the state.
Across all responses, one message came through consistently: Student mental health needs are outpacing available resources, and schools cannot meet these needs alone.
On the whole, members agreed that we need:
- Increased and sustained funding for in-school mental health professionals
- Stronger coordination between schools and community-based providers
- Expanded services at earlier grade levels
- Continued investment in programs like NJ4S, with thoughtful improvements but, with no disruption to current services
- Inter-agency collaboration
Once again, we want to thank our exceptional members for leading this work. We in Government Relations are always beating the drum that your voice matters, and right now, your voice is being heard at the highest levels of state government.
Your GR team will continue to advocate on your behalf, using your valuable feedback to push for the resources, policies, and supports needed to ensure every student has access to the mental health care they need.
Thank you for your leadership, your advocacy, and your unwavering commitment to New Jersey’s public school students.