New Jersey's S 3118 establishes a three-year Remote Methadone Dosing Pilot Program for opioid treatment programs (OTPs) in Atlantic City, Camden, and Paterson. The bill allows participating OTPs to use telehealth to remotely monitor patients receiving take-home methadone doses, aiming to improve treatment compliance and reduce costs while tracking patient outcomes. Each selected OTP receives a $75,000 grant from a $225,000 state appropriation to implement the program, with annual reporting required on metrics like patient retention and transportation cost savings. The Department of Human Services must submit a final report within four years evaluating the pilot’s effectiveness and recommending potential statewide expansion. Participation is voluntary for both OTPs and patients, and the program operates under existing federal and state regulations.
This bill creates a new "Opioid Prevention and Rehabilitation Program Fund" to support treatment services for people with substance use disorders. It imposes a 1-cent tax per milligram of active opioid ingredient on pharmaceutical distributors at the first wholesale sale in New Jersey. The collected tax funds will be used annually by the Department of Human Services to provide treatment for uninsured, underinsured, or Medicaid-enrolled individuals. The tax applies to opioid drugs distributed by licensed wholesale distributors, with definitions aligning with existing pharmaceutical distribution laws.
This bill (S 348) makes it a criminal offense (third-degree crime) to pay or receive money for referring patients to substance use disorder treatment facilities, including payments based on the number of patients or type of care. It directly affects health care providers, facilities, non-profits, and recovery residences that refer patients. The law allows flat fees or payments not tied to patient volume or treatment specifics, but prohibits all other referral-based payments. Violators face a mandatory $50,000 fine and restitution to victims.
S 2202 creates a new Office of Women’s Services within New Jersey’s Department of Corrections to address the specific needs of female inmates. The office must develop policies and programs covering medical care (including prenatal care), mental health treatment for trauma, substance abuse services, parenting support, and child reunification for all female inmates, with special attention to pregnant or postpartum individuals. The office will be led by a governor-appointed director (subject to Senate approval), who can hire staff under civil service rules. This bill directly affects all women incarcerated in New Jersey state facilities by mandating tailored support services.
This bill would allow New Jersey vehicle owners to apply for special "Mental Health Awareness" license plates. Owners would pay a $50 application fee and a $10 annual renewal fee, with all fees deposited into a dedicated fund. The fund, managed by the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services, would use these monies exclusively for mental health research and programs across the state. The plates would be designed in consultation with mental health services and require no state funding for initial production costs.
New Jersey's S 2334 requires sports wagering licensees to pay an annual $250,000 fee in addition to existing license costs. Of this fee, $140,000 is allocated directly to the Council on Compulsive Gambling, and $110,000 funds other state gambling addiction treatment programs. The bill updates existing law by establishing this new mandatory fee (replacing the prior $100,000 annual fee structure) to specifically support evidence-based prevention and treatment services. This affects all businesses holding sports wagering licenses in New Jersey, directing funds toward addressing gambling addiction through designated state programs.
This bill requires all New Jersey public and independent colleges and universities to maintain a supply of opioid antidotes (like naloxone) in secure, accessible locations. It mandates that institutions develop emergency policies allowing licensed medical staff and trained employees to administer antidotes to anyone showing signs of an opioid overdose, including students, staff, or visitors. The policies must require trained personnel to administer antidotes in good faith, then arrange immediate transport to a hospital via emergency services. Institutions must also provide required training on overdose response protocols, with liability protection for good-faith actions under the law.
This bill shifts $45 million in state funding for opioid care from the Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund to the General Fund for the 2026 fiscal year. The funds must be distributed to four specific hospitals - $10 million to Hackensack, $15 million to RWJ Barnabas, $15 million to Cooper, and $5 million to Atlantic Health - to provide opioid-related treatment. Each hospital must submit quarterly reports detailing fund usage, patient outcomes, and remaining balances until all funds are expended.
S 2581 establishes a tax credit program in New Jersey to incentivize employers to hire and retain individuals in recovery from substance use disorder. Employers must become "certified" by partnering with treatment providers, offering qualifying health insurance, and meeting other criteria to qualify for the program. Certified employers can claim a tax credit of $1 per hour worked by eligible employees, up to $2,000 per employee annually, for part-time or full-time employment. The program, administered by the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services, allocates up to $2 million yearly and requires employers to verify employee eligibility and recovery status. This bill directly affects New Jersey employers seeking tax incentives and individuals with substance use disorder seeking stable employment.
This bill establishes a three-year pilot program for school-based mentoring in New Jersey public schools located within 1,000 feet of where gunfire occurred in the prior school year (a "crisis zone"). It directly affects kindergarten through third-grade students at risk for mental health issues or substance abuse, targeting improvements in their emotional resilience, social skills, and behavior. The program requires participating schools to use a weekly, 25-minute one-on-one mentoring curriculum focused on monitoring emotions, building coping skills, and maintaining emotional control, with schools selecting mentors and evaluating student progress at three intervals. After the pilot, the Commissioner of Education must report on whether the program could be expanded statewide.
