The Department of the Public Advocate works to assist people who are hospitalized for a mental illness through direct advocacy and by making recommendations to improve the quality of care in the state’s five psychiatric hospitals.  

State psychiatric hospitals have long posed problems. New Jersey has instituted two “Redirection Plans” aimed at reducing the census at state hospitals and returning mental health consumers to the community

While these plans have had some success, there are about 2,300 patients still hospitalized, more than 1,000 of whom are on a status known as “CEPP,” which stands for “conditional extension pending placement.” CEPP means that these individuals are stable and eligible to be released from the hospital, but have no place to go. 

For someone who can live independently, like people on CEPP status, a hospital is not a therapeutic environment. Public Advocate Chen recognizes this and has directed his department to work with other government agencies, non-profit organizations and advocacy groups to determine how those individuals can receive the supports they need to live in their own communities. 

For those patients who do require psychiatric treatment within a hospital, the hospital experience can be improved. Ensuring that each hospital’s census is appropriate, providing the right level of staffing, ensuring that staff are equipped to provide the care and treatment patients need and looking for ways to improve the physical environment of each hospital are areas in which the Division of Mental Health Advocacy will be involved.

If you have had an experience, either positive or negative, with New Jersey’s state psychiatric hospitals, or if you have comments or suggestions about the Public Advocate’s work in this area, please contact us at publicadvocate@advocate.state.nj.us.