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Share with Legislators ACNJ president’s Op-ed supporting legislative bills to invest in child care.

Posted on April 21, 2022

It's time to address the long-time child care crisis in New Jersey. The pandemic didn’t create it – it exposed it.

Let's urge legislators to support Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz's comprehensive package of bills that would help parents, strengthen programs and support staff. One bill, S-2476 (pending introduction), incentivizes the development of child care for infants and toddlers, the most difficult for families to find.

Share the op-ed authored by ACNJ President Cecilia Zalkind describing this historic proposal.

The package comes with a $360 million price tag. But we need to tell state leaders that this is an investment we cannot afford not to make.

Read the Op-Ed

New Jersey's commitment to children has led to extraordinary advances, putting the state ahead of the rest of the country and most importantly, improving the lives and well-being of newborns and preschool-age children.

But we are still missing the babies.

Let's make some noise for child care and take a moment to send a message to your state leaders that this is a critical investment for children, families and for our economy.

During this legislative session, ACNJ is calling on the state to:

Improve access to infant/toddler care by increasing the number of available child care programs;
Expand child care assistance for parents of very young children; and
Support the child care workforce, who have historically been underfunded and underappreciated

PLC Video: Every Family Deserves a Doula

Post author By Lana Lee
Post date July 13, 2026

Posted on July 13, 2026

Every family deserves a doula. Check out this video produced by the Parent Leadership Council that explains their role of doulas and what must happen to increase access to this important maternal health support.
When a new baby enters the world, a family is born, too. But for many parents, pregnancy and birth can feel overwhelming and sometimes scary. That’s where doulas come in!
A doula isn't a medical provider—they are trained birth support professionals who provide continuous emotional, physical, and informational support before, during, and after birth. Research shows that doula care can help reduce:
✔️ Cesarean births
✔️ Preterm births
✔️ Use of unnecessary medical interventions
Right now, many families in New Jersey still can't access a doula due to insurance barriers, low reimbursement rates, and shortages.
👉 Join ACNJ’s monthly 10:30 AM Call, which focuses on maternal and infant health across New Jersey. These conversations bring together advocates, providers, policymakers, and community partners to share updates, insights, and opportunities for collaboration on the issues impacting pregnant people, infants, and families..

Reforming Mandated Reporting: Protecting New Jersey’s Vulnerable Families from Systemic Harm

Post author By Eloisa Hernandez-Ramos
Post date July 8, 2026

Posted on July 8, 2026

By Giovanna LaMonica
ACNJ, Legal Student Intern
Rutgers University Law School, Student

I began my legal internship at Advocates for Children of New Jersey just five months after the New Jersey Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect, Subcommittee on Poverty, Neglect, and Community Outcomes (the Subcommittee) released its report on Reformed Mandated Reporting in New Jersey. Shortly after, ACNJ welcomed Dashaan Jennings and Kayann Foster, chairs of the Subcommittee, to discuss the mission of Powerful Families, Powerful Communities NJ (PFPC) (NJTFCAN, 2026) and screen their film, Truth to Transformation.

PFPC State Initiative
The Powerful Families Powerful Communities NJ (PFPC) is a statewide initiative that works to elevate the voices of those with life-experience in the child welfare system, increase the availability of community support systems before families are involved with the system, and prioritize placing children in the system with other family members (Truth to Transformation Educator & Community Guide).

Truth to Transformation—A Spotlight on the Systemic Impact on Families
The lived experiences of the presenters in the film displayed a clear reality—that while the child protection system is responsible for ensuring children’s’ safety, it also can inflict deep trauma and damage on impacted families. Though temporary system intervention is necessary for some, far too many children are needlessly separated from their families because systemic realities of poverty are routinely mistaken for actionable neglect, underscoring the importance of the Subcommittee’s report on Mandated Reporting in New Jersey.

From an emotionally powerful anecdotal lens, Truth to Transformation tells the story of three individuals, including Mr. Jennings and Ms. Foster, who were involved in the child welfare system as children and have since had to navigate their own roles as parents while working to end the cycle of generational trauma. The film also features Christine Norbut Beyer, the Commissioner of the Department of Children and Families (DCF), who recognized the issues within the child welfare system and the severe impacts that it has on families. Commissioner Beyer works closely with PFPC to mitigate these harms, ensure the safety of families, and work to place children with family members if the need arises rather than placing them in non-kin care. Playing a direct role in the efficacy of the child welfare system is the mandated reporter system, which requires individuals to report suspected child abuse and neglect.

New Jersey is one of 17 states that require all citizens to report suspected instances of child abuse or neglect, regardless of their profession (NJTFCAN, 2026). Nevertheless, almost two-thirds of child abuse and neglect reports were made by law enforcement, education, and healthcare professionals (NJTFCAN, 2026). Statutorily, however, uniform or profession-specific training in New Jersey is non-existent. This often results in gross over-reporting out of fear, since a failure to report could result in them being held liable. It also makes reporters more likely to mistake signs of poverty as signs of neglect. This leads reporters to report a child to the system rather than provide families with the resources to meaningfully care for their children. It also directs the attention and resources at the Department of Child Protection and Permanency (DCPP) and the DCF away from cases in which their involvement is truly needed. Involving a family in the system can have detrimental impacts on their well-being, making them a target for future investigations and causing trauma to both children and parents, harming their mental health.

Communities of Color, Disproportionately Impacted
Last year, 88,762 reports of neglect were reported to the Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline. This is a significant decrease from years prior, which saw reports in the mid to high 90,000s. These reports made up made up 68% of those made to the Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline. A look at data by demographics showed that 65% of these reports were made against Black and Hispanic communities. Most concerning is the extremely low substantiation rate of reports. In 2024 and 2025, only 2% of neglect reports were substantiated and established, similar to 2023, which saw only 3% of reports substantiated and established. While the number of reports is declining, their accuracy has remained dangerously low. There is evidently a dire need for systemic reform to ensure safety and security for families and the preservation of DCF and DCPP resources for cases in which they are truly needed. (Rutgers University, n.d.).

2% of 88,762

reports of child neglect made in 2025 in New Jersey were substantiated.

65%

of reports of child neglect in New Jersey were made against Black and Hispanic communities in 2025.

Recommendations for Mandated Reporter Reform
In 2023, the Subcommittee was formed by The New Jersey Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect (NJTFCAN) (NJTFCAN, 2026). The Subcommittee utilized focus groups and surveys to investigate the correlation between poverty and neglect in the child welfare system, and further developed three Workgroups composed of both families with experience in the welfare system as well as professionals. The Subcommittee then developed nine recommendations to reform the current mandated reporter system to ensure the protection of children and families. These recommendations are (NJTFCAN, 2026):

Establish a statutory Gold Standard mandated reporter training
Require training to be completed by the professions which are the top reporters
Create a learning management system, certified trainers, and a website
Creates profession-specific modules trainings in addition to making them Gold Standard
Places oversight bodies in charge of enforcement and compliance monitoring for education, healthcare, child care, and law enforcement professionals
Shifts the responsibility of universal mandated reporting to those who are professionally trained
End anonymous reporting to eliminate misuse and retaliatory reporting
Increase penalties for false reports
Introduce a decision-making tool with liability protections to allow reporters to take time and support families when a report is not needed and prevent unwarranted reports

How Other States are Reforming Mandated Reporting
When considering these recommendations, it is imperative to also look to the mandated reporter regulations in other states to determine their impacts and potential benefits of similar legislation in New Jersey. This analysis focuses on amendments and newly implemented laws throughout the United States from 2021-2026.

One important trend in nationwide state legislation is a push to eliminate anonymous reporting of child abuse and neglect. New York State Bill S550A (2025) and Texas House Bill 63 (2023) ban anonymous reporting, and Washington State (Rev. Code Ann. § 26.44.030) has required that the department make a greater effort to gather reporters’ identifying information while assuring confidentiality. This allows for follow-up in these cases and mitigates the number of baseless, retaliatory reports. Because retaliatory reports are typically anonymous, accountability is almost impossible. The elimination of anonymous reporting in New Jersey would eliminate intentionally baseless accusations against families. This will protect the safety of families and ensure that resources are not stretched thin by false accusations.

Improved Training
Another notable trend is the updated approaches to mandated reporter training. While New Jersey mandates everyone to report suspected abuse and neglect, almost two-thirds of all reports in New Jersey are made by law enforcement, education, and healthcare professionals. Regardless, there is no statutory requirement for mandated reporter training. New York (NJTFCAN, 2026) and Illinois (325 ILCS § 5/4) have recently expanded trainings to include the influence of bias on reports and its impacts on minority communities, especially Communities of Color. There are mixed opinions on the efficacy of implicit bias trainings. While some argue that implicit bias training prevents people from reporting genuine cases of abuse and increases the risk of harm to the child (Cohen, 2025), others argue that these trainings are needed to ensure the accuracy of reports (New York State Office of Children and Family Services [NYS OCFS], n.d.). However, the Subcommittee emphasizes the need for a mandated reporter training requirement by statute.

Other states have also recently made changes to their legislation restricting or expanding responsibilities based on the trainings provided. For example, New Mexico (§ 32A-4-3) has placed the responsibility for investigations of child abuse on police officers who have undergone child abuse investigation training. Additionally, Virginia (§63.2-1509) expanded its list of mandated reporters to include anyone older than 18 years who received the Department of Social Services-approved training. Training is the basis of these eligibility requirements for investigation and reporting, playing a major role in the adequacy of the mandated reporter system. Adequate training increases the likelihood of fairness and substantiation in reports and investigations to protect families.

Improving Reporting and Investigation Practices
One last major trend in the child welfare and reporting system is more closely associated with the investigation process. States across the nation have imposed a separate approach to concerns deemed low-risk. Maryland (§5-706), Washington (Rev. Code Ann. § 26.44.030), and Wisconsin (§ 48.981) have created alternate investigation methods for reports based upon their assessed risk level.[1] New Hampshire (§ 169-C:34) has also implemented methods for less intrusive interventions and methods to direct families to the resources they need. For reporters, Louisiana (Child Code § 610) implemented an online hotline in 2018 that would allow for different reporting methods based on the level of urgency. While reports can still be made through the traditional hotline, the online hotline was designed for cases when a reporter suspects abuse or neglect but does not think the child faces imminent danger. California also passed a bill in 2020 allowing counties to opt-in to an online reporting system after a trial run in Los Angeles County proved it successful in ensuring efficiency and maintaining resources (Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, n.d.). Online reporting databases do not replace the hotline, but mitigate the harms that arise from an overwhelmed system. The California online reporting system asks reporters questions to measure the weight of the situation and directs them to the hotline if it is likely needed (Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, n.d.). By separating the reports, the system ensures efficiency and the ability to address situations appropriately while treating families with dignity and keeping children safe.

It is evident that the child welfare system is in great need of reform. Implicit bias and the lack of uniform training throughout the state lead to extremely high rates of unsubstantiated reports caused by mistaking poverty for neglect. This disproportionately impacts Families of Color. To make the greatest impact and ensure that as many families are kept as safe as possible, it is important to understand not only the statistics, but the stories behind them. Each number is a person, a family, deserving of dignity and respect. System reforms based on research, nationwide efforts, and lived experience allow New Jersey to work toward a brighter future for the child welfare system and for children and families throughout the state.

Read the latest on child protection.

References

[1] Maryland’s risk assessment program will implement a revised version of the statute in 2027. Wisconsin’s risk assessment program is a pilot instituted by statute.

New Jersey Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect, Subcommittee on Poverty, Neglect, and Community Outcomes. (2026, January). Reforming mandated reporting in New Jersey: Moving from reporting to supporting families. New Jersey Department of Children and Families. https://www.nj.gov/dcf/documents/news/reportsnewsletters/taskforce/Mandated-Reporting-Reform_Final-Report_NJ-Subcommitte-PNCO_1.26.pdf

Rutgers University. (n.d.). Child abuse and neglect data portal. https://njchilddata.rutgers.edu/portal/child-abuse-neglect

National Center for Biotechnology Information. (n.d.). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK603840/

Mandated Reporter Training. (n.d.). How implicit bias influences mandated reporters. https://mandatedreportertraining.com/blog/how-implicit-bias-influences-mandated-reporters/

Child Welfare Monitor. (2025, March 16). A fundamental conflict: Addressing implicit bias in mandatory reporter training. https://childwelfaremonitor.org/2025/03/16/a-fundamental-conflict-addressing-implicit-bias-in-mandatory-reporter-training/

Children's Rights. (n.d.). Help, not hotlines. https://www.childrensrights.org/news-voices/help-not-hotlines-replacing-mandated-reporting-for-neglect-with-a-new-framework-for-family-support

South Carolina Department of Social Services. (n.d.). Mandated reporter implicit bias decision making. https://dss.sc.gov/media/qjzbcl2u/mr_implicit_bias_decision_making.pdf

Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services. (n.d.). Success of Los Angeles County's online child abuse reporting system leads to changes statewide. https://dcfs.lacounty.gov/success-of-los-angeles-countys-online-child-abuse-reporting-system-leads-to-changes-statewide/

FY2027 NJ Budget Highlights for Children and Families

Post author By Lana Lee
Post date July 2, 2026

Posted on July 2, 2026

The FY2027 New Jersey State Budget includes significant investments in programs that support the health, education, and well-being of children and families across New Jersey. These investments strengthen the State's commitment to improving outcomes for children by supporting early childhood education, child care, maternal and infant health, children's mental health, nutrition assistance, public education, and health care.

ACNJ is grateful to Governor Mikie Sherrill and the New Jersey Legislature for their continued commitment to children, families, and education. The FY2027 budget reflects meaningful investments in programs that help children grow, learn, and thrive, while supporting families and strengthening communities throughout the state. ACNJ looks forward to continuing to work alongside state leaders to advance policies and investments that improve outcomes for all of New Jersey's children and families.

The following highlights represent select investments included in the enacted FY2027 State Budget that support children and families across New Jersey.

Children's Health
Access to quality, affordable health care is essential to children's healthy development. The FY2027 budget continues robust support for NJ FamilyCare and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), helping ensure children receive preventive care, primary care, and other essential health services.

Title XXI Children's Health Insurance Program (NJ FamilyCare/CHIP): $1,034,881,000
Oral Health Grant: $617,000
Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) Partnership Grants: $235,000

Education
A high-quality education is one of the strongest investments New Jersey can make in its children. The FY2027 budget provides record funding for K–12 education while supporting literacy initiatives and evidence-based academic interventions that help students succeed.

K–12 Education
The FY2027 budget continues New Jersey's historic investment in public education while supporting literacy initiatives and evidence-based academic interventions that help improve student achievement.
- K–12 Education: More than $12 billion
- High-Impact Tutoring: $15,000,000
- Governor's Literacy Initiative: $2,000,000
- Literacy Initiatives: $1,500,000
Preschool
High-quality preschool provides children with a strong foundation for lifelong learning. The FY2027 budget continues New Jersey's national leadership in early childhood education through record funding for Preschool Education Aid, supporting high-quality, full-day preschool for three- and four-year-olds through the State's mixed-delivery system of school districts, licensed community-based providers, and Head Start programs.
- Preschool Education Aid: $1,384,575,000
Family Supports and Child Care Assistance
Access to affordable care for children from birth through age 13—and through age 19 for children with disabilities—is essential to supporting children's healthy development while enabling parents and caregivers to work, pursue education or job training, and achieve their personal and professional goals. The Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) helps eligible working families afford the continuum of care children need, including early care and education, before- and after-school programs, and summer care. Continued investment in CCAP strengthens New Jersey's workforce, supports economic growth, and helps ensure employers have the workers they need while children have access to safe, reliable, and enriching environments. Read ACNJ's statement on the $18 million increase that will help the Child Care Assistance Program serve an estimated 77,500 children and extend assistance to approximately 2,500 additional families.
- Work First New Jersey Child Care: $581,805,000

Food Security
Access to nutritious food is fundamental to children's healthy development and family well-being. The FY2027 budget continues investments in nutrition assistance programs that help reduce food insecurity and ensure children and families have access to healthy meals.

Supplemental Food Program – Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): $318,000,000
WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program: $8,200,000
Supplemental Food Program – WIC: $25,000,000
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): $239,900,000

Maternal and Infant Health
Healthy pregnancies, healthy births, and strong starts are critical to ensuring children thrive. The FY2027 budget continues New Jersey's investments in maternal and infant health through home visiting programs, maternal health innovation, quality improvement initiatives, and efforts to reduce disparities in maternal and infant outcomes.

Maternal and Child Health Block Grant: $13,977,000
Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program: $14,134,000
New Jersey State Maternal Health Innovation Program: $3,084,000
Maternal Feedback on Quality of Care Database: $1,200,000
Perinatal Health Equity Initiative – New Jersey Black Maternal Health Task Force: $50,000
Maternal Data Center and NJ Report Card of Hospital Maternity Care: $652,000
New Jersey Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Authority Fund: $5,220,000
Statewide Universal Newborn Home Nurse Visitation Program: $48,630,000

Mental Health
Strong mental health supports are essential to helping children succeed at home, in school, and in their communities. The FY2027 budget continues investments in school- and community-based behavioral health services that promote prevention, early intervention, and access to care.

New Jersey Statewide Student Support Services (NJ4S): $40,000,000
School-Based Partnerships for Access and Resilience for Kids (SPARK): $8,000,000

Looking Ahead
The FY2027 State Budget represents an important investment in New Jersey's children and families. ACNJ appreciates the Governor's leadership and the Legislature's commitment to advancing policies and funding that improve the lives of children and families across our state.

ACNJ will continue to provide post-budget updates and analysis as additional information becomes available. Stay tuned!

ACNJ Applauds NJ FY27 Investment in CCAP – More Work Ahead to Make Child Care Affordable

Post author By Lana Lee
Post date July 1, 2026

Posted on July 1, 2026

ACNJ Launches Statewide Midwifery Policy Collective to Strengthen Maternal Health, Expand Community Birth Options

Post author By Lana Lee
Post date June 17, 2026

Posted on June 17, 2026

NEWARK, NJ — Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ) is proud to announce that New Jersey has been selected as one of only ten states nationwide to participate in the Midwifery Policy Collective, a national initiative supporting state-led efforts to strengthen community birth systems and improve maternal health through policy and systems change. The Collective is funded by the Pritzker Children's Initiative (PCI) and coordinated nationally by the Institute for Medicaid Innovation, in partnership with leading midwifery, birth center, and birth equity organizations from across the country.

The 15-month initiative will convene families, midwives, doulas, physicians, hospitals, birth centers, public health leaders, researchers, educators, advocates, and policymakers around a shared vision: ensuring that every family in New Jersey has access to safe, respectful, high-quality maternity care and a full range of evidence-based birth options.

New Jersey continues to face significant maternal health challenges, with Black women experiencing disproportionately high rates of pregnancy-related complications and maternal mortality. Expanding access to the midwifery model of care is one important strategy for improving outcomes, increasing patient choice, and creating a more equitable maternity care system.

Research has shown that community midwifery is associated with excellent maternal and infant outcomes, lower rates of unnecessary interventions, high patient satisfaction, and strong continuity of care. When community-based midwives are fully integrated into the health care system and supported by strong relationships with hospitals and other providers, families benefit from safer, more coordinated care throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period.

"This initiative is about much more than expanding midwifery," said Dr. Winifred Smith-Jenkins, Director of Early Childhood Policy and Advocacy at ACNJ and Co-Chair of the New Jersey Midwifery Policy Collective. "It is about building a maternal health system that works better for families. By bringing together diverse partners around a shared vision, we have an opportunity to strengthen relationships, improve coordination across systems, expand access to community-based care, and help address the persistent inequities that continue to impact far too many families, especially Black mothers and babies."

The New Jersey Midwifery Policy Collective was developed through a collaborative planning process involving more than 35 organizations and leaders from across the state. The coalition reflects a broad range of expertise and lived experience, including practicing midwives, physicians, doulas, maternal health advocates, researchers, educators, community organizations, health systems, and families.

"This work recognizes that no single profession or organization can solve our maternal health challenges alone," said Vicki Hedley, CPM, CM, MA, Co-Chair of the New Jersey Midwifery Policy Collective. "Real progress happens when we work together to build a coordinated system where community birth, hospitals, public health agencies, and policymakers are all working toward the same goal: healthier mothers, healthier babies, and healthier communities."

The Collective will organize its work through six statewide workgroups:

Policy & Public Affairs
Birth Center Sustainability
Community Midwifery Workforce Development
Smooth Transitions™: Community-Hospital Integration
Community Engagement
Insurance Reimbursement and Midwifery Liability Insurance Strategies

Together, these workgroups will develop policy recommendations, educational resources, workforce development strategies, reimbursement solutions, quality improvement initiatives, and public engagement efforts designed to strengthen New Jersey's maternal health system.

A key focus of the initiative will be advancing policies that support stronger integration between community-based and hospital-based maternity care, helping ensure families experience seamless, coordinated care regardless of where they choose to give birth.

Over the coming weeks, the Collective will invite organizations, professionals, community leaders, and individuals with lived experience to participate in one or more of the statewide workgroups. Participants will help shape recommendations that can improve maternal health, strengthen the midwifery workforce, expand access to community birth, and build a more equitable, family-centered maternity care system for generations to come.