New Jersey Mental Health Advocates Highlight Vital New Resource
for People Experiencing a Mental Health or Substance Use Crisis
August 19, 2026 — The Mental Health Association in New Jersey (MHANJ) and other key New Jersey advocacy organizations are celebrating the news of $16.45 million in funding to support next steps toward opening Crisis Receiving and Stabilization Centers (CRSCs). This marks important progress on completing New Jersey’s life-saving continuum of crisis care and bringing critical services to communities across the State.
The CRSCs offer an essential alternative to emergency room care for people experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis. Once operational, the centers will provide counseling, peer support, clinical treatment and stabilization services for up to 24 hours. Services will be delivered regardless of a person’s ability to pay, eliminating cost as a barrier to receiving life-saving behavioral health care.
Background Crisis Continuum of Care
New Jersey has invested in building the 988 crisis care continuum centered on key components, including someone to call or text (988), someone to respond (Mobile Outreach Response Teams) and somewhere to go. The CRSCs represent that critical “somewhere to go” They will bring a new approach to crisis care, serving a vital role by providing a safe place to for people to receive immediate behavioral health treatment and care that meets their individual needs.
This initial funding will enable facilities that have already been built in Bergen and Essex Counties to fund staff for their initial openings and help Centers in Camden, Morris and Monmouth Counties continue in their development and to become fully operational.
“Although the CRSCs were removed from the FY27 budget, the Mental Health Association in New Jersey continued to elevate the critical need for these Centers,” noted Carolyn Beauchamp, CEO of the Mental Health Association in New Jersey (MJHANJ). “We are deeply grateful for the strength of our partnerships with other advocacy organizations, including Inseparable, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention New Jersey, NAMI New Jersey and the New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies, all of which worked with us to advance this critical resource. We appreciate the steadfast support of Senator Joseph Vitale, the Department of Human Services and Governor Sherrill’s administration. Their collaboration and commitment have been essential in moving this critical resource forward. We applaud them and the New Jerseyans who joined with us to bolster our advocacy efforts with urgent messages to elected officials to amplify this important message to others – their efforts made a difference!”
While this funding represents meaningful progress, further advocacy is needed to fully establish the Centers and complete this imperative next step in New Jersey’s crisis response system. MHANJ looks forward to collaborating with all our statewide partners, as well as legislators and Governor Sherrill’s office to achieve the life-saving goal of making these Centers fully operational across the State.
About the Mental Health Association in New Jersey
Founded over 80 years ago, the Mental Health Association in New Jersey (MHANJ) is a statewide, nonprofit organization that strives for people to achieve victory over mental illness and substance use disorders through advocacy, education, training and services. For more information, visit their website at mhanj.org or call 800-367-8850.
