Expands role of New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute and transfers $3 million from DCF to DHS for establishment of dashboard and associated implementation.

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Linda Carter and 2 co-sponsors

Allocates $3 million to DCF for grants implementing pediatric mental health recommendations and expands NJHCQI duties to oversee and improve pediatric mental health care quality.

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Children, Families and Food Security Committee

Summary of Bill A 5238 (Session 222, New Jersey)

Purpose and intent

The bill provides a targeted appropriation of $3 million to the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to support a grant program implementing recommendations from the pediatric mental health care report.

It also expands the responsibilities of the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute, assigning it additional duties related to pediatric mental health care quality initiatives.

Key provisions and changes

Grant funding to DCF: Creates or designates a $3,000,000 appropriation to DCF, specifically to fund a grant program aimed at implementing recommendations from a pediatric mental health care report. The exact composition of the grant program (e.g., eligible recipients, grant term, performance metrics) is not fully detailed in the summary, but the intent is to translate report recommendations into actionable programs or services.

Expanded duties for the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute: Broadens the responsibilities of the Institute with respect to pediatric mental health care. This may involve:

Developing or overseeing quality benchmarks and performance standards for pediatric mental health services.
Monitoring and reporting on state-wide implementation of the report’s recommendations.
Coordinating with other state agencies, providers, and stakeholders to improve care quality and outcomes for children.

Appropriation mechanics: The bill enacts or clarifies financial appropriations tied to the grant program and the Institute’s enhanced duties, specifying how funds are to be allocated and potentially matched, audited, or reported.

Who would be affected

Department of Children and Families (DCF): Receives and administers the $3 million grant program to implement pediatric mental health recommendations.

New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute: Assigned expanded responsibilities, guiding quality improvements in pediatric mental health care and ensuring implementation aligns with state goals.

Pediatric mental health providers and systems: Likely beneficiaries of grant-funded initiatives and quality-improvement efforts, including public and private providers serving children.

Children and families in New Jersey: Potentially experience improved access to and quality of pediatric mental health care as a result of implemented recommendations.

Procedural and timeline aspects

The bill appropriates funds and assigns responsibilities but does not provide a detailed timeline within the summary. Typical steps would include:

Development of grant program guidelines by DCF.
Selection and award of grants to eligible entities (e.g., child-serving organizations, healthcare providers, or local governments).
Implementation period for funded initiatives.
Ongoing reporting and oversight by the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute and DCF to ensure compliance and measure outcomes.

Reporting requirements and accountability mechanisms are likely to be established to track use of the $3 million and assess progress toward pediatric mental health care improvements.

Notes

The bill is sponsored by three co-sponsors: Linda Carter, Andrea Katz, and Jim Kennedy.

The primary policy objective centers on advancing pediatric mental health care through a dedicated appropriation and enhanced quality oversight.

If you’d like, I can add a table of potential reporting milestones or outline a hypothetical grant program structure based on common state grant practices to illustrate how the provisions might operate in practice.