The Behavioral Health Planning Council consists of constituents of the New Jersey mental health and substance abuse community, including adults with serious mental illness (SMI) who are receiving or have received mental health services, families of adults with SMI or children with a serious emotional disturbance (SED), individuals with a substance use disorder (SUD) or their family member, advocacy agencies, providers, and State staff from various departments and divisions.  The following state departments and divisions are required members of the Behavioral Health Planning Council: Mental Health, Education, Vocational Rehabilitation, Criminal Justice, Housing, Social Services (Welfare). Not less than 50% of the members of the Council are individuals who are not State employees or providers of mental health services.

The role of the planning council is to:

1. review the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant, the Substance Abuse Block grant and the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant plans provided to the Council by the state and to submit recommendations of the Council
2. serve as an advocate for adults with SMI, children with SED, and individuals with SUD issues
3. monitor, review, and evaluate, not less than once each year, the allocation and adequacy of mental health services within the state.

Notices of the Behavioral Health Planning Council Meeting are sent to the Asbury Park Press, The Times (Trenton), Bergen Record, The Press (Pleasantville), and the Courier-Post (Cherry Hill).