Official Site of The State of New Jersey

Established in the Department of Children and Families, the New Jersey Youth Suicide Prevention Advisory Council (Council).  The Council is comprised of appointed New Jersey citizens and state government.  The New Jersey Youth Suicide Prevention Advisory Council examines existing needs and services and makes recommendations for youth suicide reporting, prevention and intervention. It advises the development of regulations pursuant to N.J.S.A. § 30:9A-25 et seq.

For more information related to the council, email dcf-suicide.prevention@dcf.nj.gov 

In 2024, then-Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation allocating $1M to NJ DCF for the purposes of studying the youth mental health landscape in New Jersey – the services, gaps in service, and outcomes for New Jersey’s children and families.  The New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute (HCQI) was contracted to complete the work, and conducted approximately a year and a half of research reviewing the complex and overlapping systems which support mental healthcare for individuals under the age of 18.

The completed report, which was released in June 2026, can be viewed here.

NJ DCF welcomes the opportunity to work with stakeholders, advocates, policy makers, and administrators—and especially the youth and families directly affected by our system—to continue to strengthen services, policies, and access for all New Jersey residents.