Governor Mikie Sherrill signed a law on Monday establishing an $8 million pilot program aimed at connecting students to behavioral health services within their schools. This initiative is part of more than $125 million allocated by the state for youth mental health and wellness initiatives during the current school year.
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The program, known as the School-Based Partnerships for Access and Resilience for Kids (SPARK), is set to begin offering services in early 2027 across up to ten school districts. The pilot will be administered by the Department of Children and Families in collaboration with the Department of Education.
SPARK aims to provide K-12 students with additional access to clinical mental and behavioral health care. Services under the program will encompass psychiatric consultations, assessments, triage, short-term stabilization, and medication support for children awaiting longer-term treatment.
Additionally, the program will assist families in identifying school and community-based providers, managing care authorizations, and facilitating a student’s return to school following a mental health crisis, hospitalization, or emergency visit. Referrals may be made by teachers or school mental health professionals, but services will only be provided with the consent of a parent or guardian.
In her remarks, Sherrill emphasized the need for support, stating, “Our kids are facing unprecedented pressures, and as they head back to school, we need to make sure they know that help is there when they need it.” She highlighted that SPARK will enhance the continuum of supports to ensure every student can learn, grow, and thrive.
Recruitment of school districts for participation will occur this fall. Moreover, the state plans to request proposals shortly for a mobile application and secure platform to help schools manage behavioral incidents, suicide-risk screenings, harassment, intimidation and bullying cases, and behavioral threat assessments.
This new program is intended to complement the existing NJ4S network, which offers prevention, brief interventions, and various mental health supports via regional hubs, alongside 90 school-based youth services programs and numerous health centers and family programs.
Sherrill also referenced new regulations imposed by the state on internet-enabled devices in public schools and recent legislation that limits overnight and during school day social media notifications to minors, aiming to improve online privacy protections.
The initiative was sponsored by Senate President Nicholas Scutari, State Senator Joseph Vitale, and Assemblymembers Linda Carter, Andrea Katz, and Vinnie Kearney.