RELEASE: April 21, 2005

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TRENTON – An ongoing expansion of residential treatment centers will provide about one-third of the new treatment services recommended in a recent assessment of New Jersey 's system of behavioral health care for children and youth.

The study, conducted for the DHS Office of Children's Services, is part of the larger effort to reform New Jersey 's child welfare system. Acting Governor Codey included a $55 million funding increase for child welfare reform in his proposed FY 2006 budget, on top of the $125 million increase provided this year.

Ninety six new residential treatment center beds were awarded to community-based providers earlier this week. The recent study concluded New Jersey needs a total 311 new treatment beds, so an additional 215 will need to be developed.

The Office of Children's Services is working to determine exactly what types of placements – ranging from home-like settings to additional residential treatment beds – will comprise those new 215 treatment beds, said Kathi Way, DHS Deputy Commissioner for Children's Services.

OCS is working with community-based providers, the Governor's Office, the Juvenile Justice Commission, the independent Office of the Child Advocate, and the court-appointed Child Welfare Reform Panel to plan the expansion.

“We are working hard to seize this opportunity to right-size the system in New Jersey ,” Way said. “For too many years, we did not have the community-based treatment services we needed, so youths who were ready to step down to less restrictive settings lingered in residential treatment centers.

“As a result, we often had to send children and youth out-of-state for appropriate treatment. Other youths were forced to stay in shelters and juvenile detention while they waited for residential treatment beds to become available.”

The estimated need of 215 beds is in addition to the 96 residential treatment center beds that are being developed and 75 treatment home beds created earlier this year, Way said.

Plans detailing the array of services to be provided through the 215 new beds will be developed and released later this year, Way said. The services will range from less-intensive, community-based settings to high-end residential treatment and hospitalization, she said.

“Whenever possible, we want to place a child in a more family-like environment,” said Deputy Commissioner Way . “Yet, there are many children who need more intensive treatment before they can step down into the community.”

The additional 215 beds will cost $16 million to $20 million annually, with half of the cost expected to be paid by the federal government, Way said.

Currently, there are 2,234 beds available for children with behavioral health issues including:

797 in-state residential treatment

223 out-of-state residential treatment

369 group homes

700 treatment homes

145 psychiatric community residences

It is projected 3,733 children will be served this fiscal year by the 2,234 beds available (3,659 have received or are currently receiving services). Based on the needs assessment, approximately 4,048 children will need services in 2006 requiring the creation of 311 beds total.

The needs assessment report was conducted for OCS by John S. Lyons, Ph.D. from Northwestern University through the Buddin Praed Foundation.

Estimating the Optimal Size of New Jersey 's System of Care for Children with Emotional/Behavioral Disorders.

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