May 21, 2026
Below is an excerpt of an op ed written by Debra L. Wentz, PhD, President and CEO of NJAMHAA, and published in NJ Spotlight News.
The NJ4S, or New Jersey Statewide Student Support Services program faces the threat of being greatly diluted as the state prepares its fiscal 2027 budget. NJ4S is a crucial support for thousands of students in New Jersey, and eliminating or reducing any of its funding would leave many youth across the state without the services they need and deserve.
The New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies and NJ4S providers agree that more clinical services are needed in some regions. Such expansion requires additional funding, not the elimination of parts of a successful program.
Enhancements to NJ4S or funding for a parallel program, such as that proposed by Sherrill, are both options. The evidence that NJ4S works, though, cannot be ignored. Of great importance is its accessibility, with services available statewide.
When we support NJ4S, we’re doing more than funding a program — we’re safeguarding futures.
Click here to read this entire article.
