Medicaid Extension: Youth involved with DCP&P (formerly DYFS) will have Medicaid coverage until their case is closed. Medicaid Extension is available to young adults ages 18-21 who were in a DYFS placement on their 18th birthday. Medicaid Extension for young adults can be accessed once the DYFS case is closed by calling 1-888-235-4766. The Medicaid Extension for Young Adults (MEYA) provides continued Medicaid coverage for an adolescent who meets all of the following requirements:

• The youth was living in a Division of Child Protection and Permanency placement and turned 18 years old on or after October 1, 2000.
• Meets Medicaid eligibility requirements, except for income.
• Coverage is given regardless of income until the adolescent’s 21st birthday. A toll-free number is available for further information about MEYA: 1-888-235-4766.

Private Insurance: Individuals may be carried under their parents/caregiver’s health insurance plan until the age of 26 or 31. Check to see if you are covered under an existing policy and visit the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance website for additional information: www.state.nj.us/dobi/division_consumers/du31.html.

Also, it may be helpful to read the second website below for information about individual medical insurance policies. Please visit: www.state.nj.us/dobi/division_insurance/ihcseh/ihcguide/obtaincoverage.html

Federally Qualified Health Centers: In the State of New Jersey the major providers of comprehensive community-based primary health care are the 20 community health centers and their additional sites that are federally funded/qualified. FQHCs provide much needed care to the poorest citizens in the state. Although the structure and how they offered services may be different, FQHCs focus on the health care needs of the medically underserved within their service areas.
 

Planned Parenthood: Planned Parenthood has health centers around the state that assist males and females while providing high quality, affordable medical care. These services include comprehensive gynecological care, birth control services, pregnancy testing, first-trimester abortion, STD testing and treatment, pre-natal care, primary care and cancer screenings. Since not all services are available at each location, it is best to check before making an appointment. Fees are based on the ability to pay and no one is turned away.
 

NJ Family Planning Centers: These centers also service males and females. They are not part of Planned Parenthood but can assist in many of the areas already mentioned above including testing for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

The Department of Children and Families provides behavioral health services to children and youth through different agencies depending on the level of need. To connect to behavioral health services contact 1-877-652-7624. The state contracted systems administration (CSA), PerformCare, does an assessment to determine the level of need and authorizes the care. The telephone number is a 1-877-652-7624.

Who Can Receive Services? Youth eligible for services through PerformCare are mostly between the ages of 5 and 18 reside in the State of New Jersey, and have an emotional or behavioral problem. Special consideration is given for services to youth under age 5.  Teens under the age of 18 need their parents’ or guardians’ permission to get non-emergent behavioral health treatment. For children still living with their parents, the parent makes the treatment decision. When a child is living in a DCP&P (formerly DYFS) placement, it is DCP&P who make the final treatment decision.