November 17, 2022

Advocates across the state – students, principals, superintendents, family members, providers and legislators – realized success today as Governor Phil Murphy announced that all current School Based Youth Services Programs (SBYSPs) will continue to operate in the next fiscal year, which will begin July 1, 2023. At the same time, the Department of Children and Families will launch the New Jersey Statewide Student Support Network, or NJ4S, a hub and spoke model that will operate in 15 regions at the start of the school year in September 2023.

Word spread on Monday that a compromise had been reached. An nj.com article confirmed the compromise earlier today, and was followed by others, including this northjersey.com piece. As of this writing, no formal announcement has been made by the Governor, despite the expectation that it would be made today.

Some are already pushing back, as noted here at the top of a reprint of the NJ Spotlight op-ed printed earlier this week from three superintendents who have SBYSPs and argue for their continuance. The pushback centers on the fact that Governor Murphy has only promised to extend funding for one year. Stakeholders are looking to see the program permanently retained.