North Plainfield Mental Health Stigma-Free Zone

01/23/2026

Justice in Aging logo with tagline: "Fighting senior poverty through law."
Implementing New Medicaid Work Requirements: Strategies to Mitigate Harm in Your State
When: Thursday, February 5, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. PT/2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
Last year, Congress passed H.R. 1, introducing significant cuts and changes to Medicaid, including new Medicaid work requirements. Under the law, many Medicaid enrollees ages 19 to 64 will need to document at least 80 hours each month of work, volunteering, education, or job training to maintain coverage. Although certain people are exempt, including caregivers and people with disabilities or serious health conditions, understanding and applying these exemptions is challenging.

The webinar, Implementing New Medicaid Work Requirements: Strategies to Minimize Harm in Your State, will include a breakdown of the law’s key provisions and clarify who the requirements apply to. Presenters will discuss how exemptions and other protections should be implemented to prevent coverage loss and administrative burden, particularly among older adults and caregivers. Advocates will gain strategies and tools to use in the implementation and policy-setting stage to help ensure states comply with the law and adopt as many optional protections as possible.

01/13/2026

Answering the Call: Honoring Dr. King Through Mental Health Advocacy & Community Care

This Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we reflect on Dr. King’s enduring legacy: a relentless pursuit of justice, equality, and beloved community. He taught us that “Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve.” This year, we are called to extend that service to a critical, yet often overlooked, dimension of our community’s well-being: Mental Health.

In New Jersey, 1 in 5 adults experiences a mental health condition each year. The need for support, understanding, and compassionate action has never been greater. Stigma still silences too many of our neighbors, friends, and family members, creating barriers to care and connection that Dr. King would challenge us to dismantle.

This is not just a health issue; it is a social justice issue. Access to care, equitable resources, and freedom from discrimination are pillars of the mental health movement that align directly with Dr. King’s dream of a just society.
How You Can Serve & Strengthen Our Community This MLK Day
Dr. King’s vision was built on active love and collective action. Here’s how you can honor his legacy:
1. Volunteer Your Time: Become a support group facilitator, a community educator, or a helpline responder. Your lived experience or compassionate ear can be a lifeline.�
2. Educate Yourself & Others: Attend a Mental Health First Aid workshops. Understanding is the first step toward erasing stigma.�
3. Advocate for Change: Urge our lawmakers to prioritize mental health funding and policies that ensure no one is left behind.�
4. Start the Conversation: In your faith groups, book clubs, and neighborhood gatherings, share resources and speak openly about mental wellness. Create circles of care where you live.

5. Donate: Your financial support allows for the expansion of
programs, reaching more families and individuals across the state.�

A Day On, Not a Day Off: Join a Day of Service
This MLK Day, we invite you to make it a “Day On” for mental health.
• Pledge to have one supportive conversation about mental health.�
• Share resources on your social media platform to break the silence.�
• Sign up to volunteer.�
Together, we can build a New Jersey where every individual, regardless of their mental health journey, is met with compassion, support, and access to hope.
“The time is always right to do what is right.” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

11/03/2025

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/aact-now-2026-conference-self-care-in-the-black-community-tickets-1734888210339?aff=aactnow2026

Join us for a day of self-care at Kean University featuring a keynote, panel discussion, workshops, and a catered lunch!

10/29/2025

"This is a critical reminder that food insecurity is a trauma, not just a statistic. The looming loss of WIC and SNAP benefits means thousands of families are facing the terrifying reality of empty cupboards, compounded by the immense psychological toll of uncertainty. We must treat this as the dual crisis it is: one of both hunger and mental health."

09/25/2025

Good morning all,

I’d like to extend an invitation to anyone who may be available to join us tomorrow 9/26 for the Somerset County Department of Human Services Stigma-Free Meeting, taking place via Zoom at 12:00 PM.

This grassroots committee is dedicated to continuing the Stigma-Free Campaign across municipalities throughout the county. Some of you may already be familiar with this initiative, while others may be new to it, either way, your perspective is welcome and valued.

We hope you'll join us to share how stigma has impacted your communities, and to be part of the ongoing conversation about reducing stigma related to mental health and substance use.

Somerset County Department of Human Services is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Somerset County Stigma Free Meeting

Time: Sep 26, 2025 12:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/95606450089?pwd=1yrBx0Cs4m5PsGIB2pe0QHbsRofMZB.1

Meeting ID: 956 0645 0089

Passcode: 211062

Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise cloud communications.

08/26/2025

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2025%2F08%2F18%2Fopinion%2Fchat-gpt-mental-health-suicide.html%3Funlocked_article_code%3D1.g08.QgHD.dhAaWQpCZ2Yw%26smid%3Dnytcore-ios-share%26referringSource%3DarticleShare%26fbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExUjdMNFdDcHZFenpTZDQ4QwEebKwdVsjlea-mAyDzfkpeA4J9mGwbzrclZfadVV77UZVwNmZP35H-qq3_OhI_aem_q7EdbKP8YBHmqDv-PCGUgQ&h=AT25aKhrEV7izIecWbGNBwSneeS8vfXJHP_XB0tJ08WThcRHrrfRAG_jAa5e7ULOl2UyxnEyQQj6TrwT34AwxxajQzX7SunyBoP6q2enunaTG89uuP7e2Ir0sJd51hFgXv6FYnoY8ISak8KNtkDtGWJj6BvT4ajCHtw&__tn__=R]-R&c[0]=AT3XLk8_uDCq3mpVs7OQ2zYkMXg-6IViDgC5VO18tpeb6mYf6H2HWGxXIx3saAtIRaVe0kUYoi7ptmrpE_KA1NOiuOX_q85A8Hvx8lQQstSCCEKBp46bxRyqa-nO-9NN6WtISWG0z1f8HFUuLUV88pif05z0Yq4jpNj-1ho0ecID

The medical profession has clear rules and responsibilities. What about the chatbots?

08/26/2025

"https://www.nytimes.com/.../chat-gpt-mental-health..."
https://www.facebook.com/groups/460805650613426/posts/25452672041000108/?comment_id=25455488647385114¬if_id=1756152127791377¬if_t=group_comment #:~:text=https%3A//www.nytimes.com/.../chat-gpt-mental-health...

08/20/2025

07/07/2025

STATEMENT FROM HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSIONER SARAH ADELMAN



The irony of Congress passing this bill on the eve of Independence Day should not be lost on anyone. Far from advancing equality, this legislation undermines Americans’ fundamental pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness.



It will make it harder for New Jersey families to access health care and food assistance, while shifting hundreds of millions of dollars in costs onto state taxpayers.



Programs like NJ FamilyCare and NJ SNAP are not just safety nets. They are lifelines. They reflect New Jersey’s core values of dignity, compassion, and opportunity for all. These programs ensure that children receive medical care, that older adults and people with disabilities can live with independence, and that no family goes hungry in a time of need.



Since the beginning of this debate, Governor Murphy and I have been clear about what these proposed cuts to Medicaid, food assistance, and other essential programs would mean for New Jersey older adults, individuals with disabilities, and families struggling to make ends meet. We’ve conveyed this message - both publicly and privately - to our Congressional delegation, warning of the devastating consequences these measures would bring.



Sadly, the outcome revealed no surprise courage.



The cumulative effect of these changes to Medicaid will be:

· an estimated 350,000 eligible residents will lose healthcare coverage because of bureaucratic barriers

· $3.3 billion annual cut in funding to hospitals and public health funding

· $360 million annual cut to the state budget due to reductions in federal funding and provider assessments



For NJFamilyCare Members this bill will:

· restrict the definition of qualified immigrants (Oct. 2026)

· impose work requirements for able-bodied adults (as soon as Jan. 2027, and no later than Jan. 2029)

· require six-month eligibility redetermination for expansion adults (Jan. 2027)

· limits retroactive coverage to one month prior to application for expansion population and two months prior for traditional enrollees (Jan. 2027)

· require expansion adults to pay money out of pocket towards the cost of treatment (Oct. 2028)



For Medicaid providers and administrators:

· prohibit new or increased provider taxes (immediate)

· cap new state directed payments at 100% of the Medicare rate, any plan enacted prior to May 2025 will be reduced 10% annually until they meet the cap (immediate)

· limit federal matching funds for emergency Medicaid (Oct. 2026)

· create stricter budget neutrality standard for 1115 waivers (Jan. 2027)

· phase down enhanced funding for hospitals and other providers by lowering the safe harbor limit for provider taxes by 0.5% annually until it reaches 3.5% in 2031 (beginning Oct. 2027)

· reduce federal match to states for improper payment error rates (Oct. 2029)

· does not include delay of DSH reductions (going into effect Oct. 2025)



The impact to the 800,000 residents who receive SNAP food assistance, more than 60% of which are children or seniors, is:

· Requiring state budget to raise $100-$300 million due to a new cost-sharing requirement for states, or risk eliminating the entire SNAP program for New Jersey

· Requiring county governments to find or tax an addition $78 million annually due to decreasing federal reimbursement



While we are deeply disheartened by this outcome, NJ Human Services will keep the health, dignity and success of every New Jersey resident and their families at the center of all we do. Those will be our guiding principles as the federal Administration next begins directing states on implementation of the law.

02/24/2025

Dual-Diagnosis: A Vision for Better
Mental Health Care for the IDD Population
The New Jersey Governor’s Council on Mental Health Stigma
invites you to a virtual Learning Collaborative on Zoom to discuss
ideas for developing new mental healthcare services for persons
with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD).