New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies

New Jersey COVID-19 Information Hub

*Click here for Federal Resources and click here for National Association and Miscellaneous Resources

State Resources

• Office of U.S. Senator Cory Booker: A Coronavirus Pandemic Resource Guide for New Jersey
• Telehealth:
  • New Jersey Expands Access to Telehealth Services During COVID-19
• • The Division of Medical Assistance & Health Services, in their Medicaid Newsletter providing temporary telehealth guidelines for all providers effective March 21, 2020 and for the duration of the public health emergency.
  • Key Considerations for Adopting/Expanding Telehealth
  • Tips for telehealth/video chatting if the provider or the client are experiencing technical issues from Hilary Krosney-Rediker, LPC, LCADC,Director of Addiction Services, Jewish Family & Children's Service of Monmouth County
  • HHS Office of Civil Rights has issued a "Notification of Enforcement Discretion" for telehealth remote communications during the public health emergency.
  • Medicare has expanded telehealth coverage that enables beneficiaries to receive a wider range of healthcare services from their doctors without having to travel to a healthcare facility. More detailed information can be accessed here.
  • MCOs, Medicaid/NJ Family Care, and the Children's System of Care announced that they will reimburse providers for telehealth services in the same manner as face-to-face services.

• Healthcare:

• • New Jersey Department of Health updated guidelines clinicians should follow for testing COVID-19 patients.
    • NJDOH's new guidelines for outpatient medical providers who are evaluating patients for COVID-19.
      • NJ Residents with a Positive COVID-19 Test: Instructions and Next Steps
      • Acute Care in Hospitals- Labor and Delivery Support
    • Find Your Local Health Department Directory

  • Hilton Hotels and Marriott Hotels are offering special rates for healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic

  • New Jersey Removes Barriers to Assistance by Health Care Professionals

  • Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield- New Jersey has waived pre-authorization and pre-certification for inpatient admissions at in-network acute care hospitals. Click here to learn more.

    The Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services released information about the emergency funding process.
    • COVID-19 Incident Reporting
    • COVID-19 Office of Licensing FAQs for Residential Providers
      • Note that the two resources above also apply to the Division of Developmental Disabilities
    • Letter from Valerie Mielke, Assistant Commissioner, DMHAS, explaining the emergency payment process
      
      • Action Required by March 31^st with explanations of general criteria; specifics for cost-based mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) contracted providers; specifics for all fee-for-service providers; attestation; and monitoring
      • Attestation Form
      • Emergency Payments-Client Roster for MH Providers Only

• • From the New Jersey Innovation Institute (NJII): Coronavirus: A Shortlist of Resources for Healthcare Administrators & Practice Operation
  • New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs temporarily suspended in-person continuing education requirements for mantaining liscenses, registeration and certification.
  • The New Jersey Innovation Institute has compiled a list of resources for healthcare office managers related to COVID-19 and includes CMS and the Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment Program.
  • New Jersey Child Mental Health Coalition:
    • How to Help Your Teen Deal with Social Isolation
    • Mitigating the Implications of Coronavirus Pandemic on Families
    • Ways to Promote Children's Resilience to the COVID-19 Pandemic
    • NJMHC Roster
  • National Alliance on Mental Illness- New Jersey's Online Support Group information
  • Governor Murphy announced that NJ 211 has been activated to help handle COVID-19 related calls from New Jersey residents.
  • Health Coverage: nj.gov/governor/getcoverednj, www.healthcare.gov, www.njfamilycare.org
  • New Jersey Psychiatric Hospitals

• Human Services:
  • Division of Aging Services: Health Ease "Staying Healthy Recommendations & Related News" (Issue#243)
  • Division of Developmental Disabilities:
    • COVID-19 Residential Moves
    • COVID-19 Residential Screening Policy (Updated March 27, 2020)
• Children and Families:
  • New Jersey Department of Children and Families
    
    • COVID-19 Guidance for Congregate Care Residential Treatment Programs
  • Child Care Costs Support
  • Child Care Services for Essential Workers

• Employers:
  • Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP- Coronavirus: An Employer's Action Guide
  • Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith, and Davis LLP have provided guidance in regard to the COVID-19 Employment Law Update which includes CDC and OSHA guidance as well as Employers' ADA Rights and Responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here to read more.
  • The Employers Association of New Jersey (EANJ) continuiously updates their Coronavirus Toolkit for employers.
    
    • EANJ website has a page dedicated to the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act and Mandatory Sick Leave policy that were part of the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act signed into law on March 18, 2020.
  • The organization UST has assembled a list of the essential COVID-19 resources for nonprofit employers to help navigate the impact of the pandemic on both organizations and their employees. Click here to access the employer's toolkit
  • Tax Exemptions and Implications of Employee COVID-19 Hardship Payments

• Workforce:
  • The New Jersey Department of Labor Benefits- What Employees Should Know
  • Worker Protections and Leave Benefits
  • The New Jersey Department of Labor webpage shares detailed information for employees out of work for different reasons related to COVID-19, and also has a chart (in English and Spanish) that you can download.
    • What NJ Workers Need to Know about the Families First Coronavirus Responce Act
    • State of New Jersey COVID-19 Jobs and Hiring Portal
  • Job Assistance
  • Unemployment Benefits

• Business:
  • New Jersey Department of Health: Social Distancing Guidance for Essential Retail Business
  • The New Jersey Business and Industry Association posted a coronavirus update which includes frequently asked questions about Executive 107 and how it impacts businesses. Click here to read more.
  • New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA)'s website has information for New Jersey businesses.
    • Information on NJ Businesses on the COVID-19 outbreak
    • Small Business Emergency Assistance Loan Program - Click here for more.

• • New Jersey Business Action Center: COVID-19/ Novel Coronavirus Information for New Jersey Businesses
  • Small Business Assistance:
    • U.S. Senator Cory Booker; The Small Business Owner's Guide to the CARES Act
      • Applying for SBA Disaster Loans
    • NJDEA Hotline and NJEDA Team Member
    • To apply for an SBA loan, click here
    • For guidance on SBA loans, click here.
    • Business filing, notary, or apostilles/international notarization
    • Click here for "5 Considerations to Help Prepare for a Potential Business Interruption and Extra Expense Claim."

• • Mercadien has created a summary resource for businesses that explain the special federal income tax return filing and payment relief in response to COVID-19. Click here for a summary.
    • Small Business Forgivable Loans Program Under the CARES Act & Other Relief
    • An Overview on the CARES Act & What it Means for Individuals
    • Business sustainability checklist for organizations during crisis
    • An Overview on the CARES Act and What it Means for Businesses
    • Resource Guide for Business Owners
  • Miscellaneous Resources for New Jersey Businesses from BioNJ:
    • • COVID-19/Novel Coronavirus Information for New Jersey Businesses
      • Financial Assistance for Employers, Business Impacted by COVID-19
      • U.S. Small Business Administration Fact Sheet- Economic Injury Disaster Loans
  • Self-Employed NJ Workers: Unemployment Benefits During the Coronavirus Emergency
  • Business News:
    • The state has created an official violation reporting form that allows employees to report businesses deemed non-essential that are defying executive orders by remaining open or are refusing to allow employees to work from home where possible.
    • There's a full list of guidelines for which businesses are required to close down.
    • Governor Murphy's signed an order deeming which businesses are considered "essential" and exempt from the statewide retail shutdown order.
• NJ Department of Banking and Insurance COVID-19
  • COVID-19 and Health Insurance FAQs
• Food Assistance

• Housing:
  • Housing for Medical Volunteers
  • COVID-19 State and Local Housing Policy and Legislative Responses Tracker
  • State & Local Policy Recommendations for COVID-19
  • Mortgage, Rental and Housing Assistance

• COVID-19 Relief Funds:
  • New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund
  • South Jersey COVID-19 Response Fund from the Community Foundation of South Jersey
  • Princeton Area Community Foundation COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Fund
  • OceanFirst Foundation Rapid Response Grants and Good Neighbor Grants
  • The Provident Bank Foundation COVID-19 Emergency Response Grants
  • PHL COVID-19 Fund from the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey
  • United Way of Greater Newark Community COVID-19 Fund
• Veterans
  • NJ Veteran Benefits: VBB@dmava.nj.gov
• Student Loans
• NJ Motor Vehicle Comission
• NJ Transit

• New Jersey Public Health News:
• • If you are a qualified health, mental health, and related professional, click here to volunteer.
  • New Jersey will establish four-pop up hospitals to help manage the amount of COVID-19 patients.
  • Governor Murphy has suspended all elective surgeries and invasive procedures performed on adults that are scheduled to take place after 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 27. This order does not apply to family planning services.
• General New Jersey News:
• • Governor Murphy and Superintendent Callahan Announce FEMA Approval for Non-Congregate Sheltering in Place
  • New Jersey joins a multi-state council to restore the economy and get people back to work.
  • The homestead property tax relief program was put on hold after the Treasury Department froze $920 million in state government spending.

• Legislation:
  
  • Executive Orders 123-127
  • Legislation (S2374) expands protections of the Family Leave Act to allow employees forced to take time off to care for a family member during the COVID-19 outbreak with up to 12 weeks of unpaid family leave in a 24-month period without losing their jobs.
  • NJ CARES Act 42CR:
    • Revisions to the Treatment of Substance Use Disorder Records
  • Executive Order No.122 ceases all non-essential construction projects and imposes additional mitigation requirements on essential retail businesses and industries to limit the spread of COVID-19
  • Executive Order No.119 extends the public health emergency in New Jersey
  • Executive Order No.113, gives the New Jersey State Director of Emergenct Management the authority to commander medical supplies and equipment, including Personal Protective Equipment.
  • Executive Order No.112, authorizes the Division of Consumer Affairs to temporarily reactivate the licenses of healthcare professionals who have recently retired and grants temporary licenses to doctors licensed in foreign countries.
  • As of Tuesday, March 26, a series of bills have been passed related to COVID-19. Click here to see the legislation that has passed (compiled by BioNJ).
  • On Wednesday, March 25, Governor Murphy signed Senate No.2304 into law. This piece of legislation expands the scope of temporary disability insurance (TDI). Click here for more information.
  • Governor Murphy signed legislation (A3860) which authorizes any health care practitioners to provide telemedicine and telehealth services for the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
  • COVID-19 Related Legislation (A3843, A3845, A3848, A3855)
• Census
• COVID-19 Related Helplines/Phone Numbers
• Report Violations

** How Individuals Can Help

**If personal protective equipment can be donated or if you have access to PPE inventories, please click here.