Union County will get a $5 million boost to expand affordable child and adolescent mental health care services through the statewide student support services.
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"It is imperative we work to ensure every young person has access to the resources and services they need to thrive, particularly in light of the national youth mental health crisis that has only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic," Murphy said.
Some schools have seen a rise in bullying and fighting that led in case this school year to a student dying by suicide in Ocean County. Experts said the pandemic had a hand in making an already unstable situation worse.
"We are dealing with a big big youth mental health crisis from our littlest to our college folks," Murphy said.
The money will go towards building a new Pediatric Collaborative Care Training Center to increase the number of experts able to provide mental health care to children and adolescents.
Pediatric primary care providers, behavioral health clinicians as well as child and adolescent psychiatrists will undergo training at the center in Union County.
There will also be upgrades to technology and data analytics to ensure communities who lack youth mental health care will be prioritized as experts complete their training.
"This generous contribution will play a crucial role in expanding access and enhancing the quality of healthcare services in our county," said Union County Commissioner Chairman Sergio Granados. "By acknowledging the importance of mental health and collaborating with non-profit organizations, medical institutions, the school community and the community at large, we aim to create a world where every child and young person feels valued, supported, and empowered."
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The funding comes from the nearly $2 trillion American Rescue Plan signed by President Joe Biden in 2021.
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