Students’ mental health is in shambles — New Jersey is closer to helping

🔴 Nearly half of New Jersey teens report feeling sad or hopeless.

🔴 A bipartisan bill would create a mental health task force, including student voices

🔴 The bill must reach Gov. Phil Murphy’s desk before January 2026.

A New Jersey lawmaker is making one last, hard push to help the countless teens who suffer from poor mental health.

"Young people across New Jersey are facing unprecedented levels of stress, anxiety, and emotional challenges," said Assemblywoman Michele Matsikoudis, R-Union.

It's not an exaggeration; the 2021 state Student Health Survey found that 42% of polled teens had felt sad or hopeless. And 20% of teens had seriously considered a suicide attempt. While the survey was done in the wake of the pandemic, those numbers had unfortunately been trending steadily upward for a decade.

What Bill A276 would do to address student mental health

Bill A276 would create a state mental health task force.

The mental health task force would have 19 members, including two New Jersey students — one from a middle school and another from a high school — who will give insight into their experiences with mental health.

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Its main focus will be to examine the mental health resources already available in schools and then develop recommendations to ensure that each student has access to mental health programs.

The task force would also be responsible for figuring out which students have mental health issues and what kind of funding schools need to improve their counseling services.

"When students see mental health being treated with the same seriousness and care as physical health, it sends a powerful message: that asking for help is not a weakness and that they are not alone," said Matsikoudis.

Political timing puts pressure on bill’s future

Matsikoudis is set to leave office next month after she lost her re-election bid. The bill needs Gov. Phil Murphy's signature before he also leaves Drumthwacket on Jan. 20, 2026. If it doesn't get to Murphy's desk, the process must start all over again.

The bill cleared the Assembly Education Committee last week. However, it still needs the full approval of the state legislature to go anywhere.

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