What’s New?

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
reimagine-child-care

Unlocking Potential: Our Ambitious Roadmap to Close Inequities for NJ Babies

Posted on June 24, 2020

In order to give all children a strong and equitable start in life, New Jersey must begin with an intentional focus on eliminating racial inequities and disparities in access to essential supports, according to a new report, Unlocking Potential, released today by Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ).

Read Unlocking Potential, A Roadmap to Making New Jersey the Safest, Healthiest and Most Supportive Place to Give Birth and Raise a Family

The statewide plan, funded by the Pritzker Children's Initiative (PCI), provides the action steps needed to achieve concrete targets related to early childhood development with the goal of ensuring an additional 25 percent of low-income infants and toddlers - 27,000 young children - will have access to high-quality services by 2023. These supports include access to quality child care, home visiting, health and mental health services.

Unlocking Potential is based on the belief that we all have a role to play in achieving equity and that supporting equal opportunities at the start of a child’s life is the first step in eliminating disparities that impact outcomes for babies, families and communities. The foundation for change is in place; the opportunity is now!

 

Doulas: A Vital Part of Perinatal Care

Posted on August 4, 2025

winifred headshot
Winifred Smith-Jenkins
Director of Early Childhood Policy and Advocacy

Doulas are trained professionals who provide emotional, physical, and informational support during pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum care, and in the event of loss. Unlike medical providers, doulas offer continuous, personalized non-clinical care that focuses on comfort, advocacy, and helping families navigate the birthing process. Their presence is proven to improve birth outcomes and reduce disparities, particularly for Black and Brown birthing people who face some of the highest maternal mortality rates in the country.

Why Doulas Matter

Doulas aren’t a luxury. They’re a life-saving support system. Research has shown that doula supported births:

Doulas help close racial and economic gaps in maternal health, and they do it while centering the needs of families.

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Let's make children and their
families the center of the
2025 Election Campaign.

The Need for Community-Based Doulas Is Rising, but Where Are They?

While more doulas are being trained, many are leaving the profession due to inadequate compensation structures.  

      • Most doulas work without benefits, steady income, or adequate reimbursement for time spent providing related services.
      • Doulas serving low-income and Medicaid clients often cut their fees significantly; sometimes earning less than $500 for months of care.
      • Many offer sliding scale or free services, leading to burnout, financial instability, and a shrinking workforce.

If we want to keep doulas in the field, we must pay them a living wage.

Medicaid: A Critical Opportunity

Medicaid covers nearly 42% of U.S. births, making it a powerful lever for increasing access to doula care. Several states including New Jersey, Oregon, California, Illinois, and New York  have added doulas to Medicaid, but challenges remain:

      • Reimbursement rates vary widely and are often too low to support a full-time salary.
      • Credentialing requirements sometimes exclude experienced community-based doulas.
      • Bureaucratic barriers make it hard for doulas to enroll as Medicaid providers.

What Needs to Change

To ensure doulas can thrive and families can access their support, Medicaid coverage must follow best practice standards including:

      • Providing fair, equitable and sustainable compensation by setting reimbursement rates that reflect the full scope of care;
      • Allowing experience-based and community-informed credentialing pathways;
      • Eliminating unnecessary red tape to make enrollment and billing as a Medicaid doula provider simple and accessible; and
      • Including doulas in program design, oversight, and quality monitoring

The Bottom Line

We cannot achieve better birth outcomes; or true maternal health equity, without investing in doulas. That means moving beyond pilot programs and charity models to sustainable public funding, especially through Medicaid. If doulas are essential (and they are), we must treat them like it; by paying them fairly.

This Election Year: Ask the Candidates:

  1. What will you do to ensure that all families in New Jersey; especially Black and Brown communities, have access to community-based doulas through Medicaid?
  2. Do you support raising Medicaid reimbursement rates so doulas can earn a living wage for the critical care they provide?
  3. How will you make sure experienced doulas are included in decisions about state policy and funding for maternal health?

Food for Thought: The Real Costs of Restricting SNAP Benefits

Posted on July 24, 2025

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Authored by:
Adriana Bland
Deborah T. Poritz Summer Public Interest Legal Fellowship Program, LSNJ

For more information on positive youth development efforts, contact Isaiah Fudge at Ifudge@acnj.org.

On July 4, Trump signed into law what was known as the “Big Beautiful Bill” (HR1). Despite its name, this legislation endangers people’s ability to live safely and comfortably. The bill makes significant changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), restricting eligibility and imposing greater administrative costs on the states, with a goal of reducing federal spending by nearly $300 billion.

These changes will have profound consequences on SNAP, which is the largest food safety net program in the United States. In New Jersey specifically, over 800,000 individuals rely on SNAP benefits to put food on the table, with over 40% of recipients being children.

Beginning in the 1930s, states created county welfare boards that were responsible for administering public benefits to residents. New Jersey is one of ten states where programs are still administered at the county level. The counties not only serve the residents, they also employ them. As a result, counties pay a portion of the administrative costs, and state and federal dollars cover the costs of benefits. While benefit dollars help to stimulate the local economy, a county’s administrative cost is a very small percentage of the actual benefits that return to the community.

Until HR1 was signed into law on July 4, states and the federal government shared a 50/50 split on SNAP administrative costs. HR1 makes the states responsible for 75% of the administrative costs and 5% of the actual benefit paid to each SNAP recipient. The New Jersey Department of Human Services estimates that the state budget needs to raise $100-$300 million to implement these new cost-sharing requirement changes, or risk eliminating the entire SNAP program for New Jersey. County governments will need to come up with an additional $78 million for their portion of the administrative costs. This increase in the state's financial responsibility will further decrease resources and access to SNAP benefits, and cause serious strain to the program that helps to ensure that thousands meet one of their most basic needs.  

Those currently receiving SNAP benefits are not exempt from the direct impacts of HR1. Changes to household eligibility and work requirements may force people to lose SNAP benefits entirely.

Current SNAP recipients between the ages of 18 and 54 who do not reside with a child under 18, and who are able to work are classified as Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) and are subject to time limits and work rules. Individuals subject to the ABAWD Time Limit Rules can only receive SNAP benefits for three months in a three-year period unless they are working, volunteering, or in an allowable activity for at least 80 hours a month.

While ABAWD Time Limit Rules have always existed, SNAP recipients haven’t always been subject to their strict enforcement. Prior to HR1, Time Limit Waivers for areas with high unemployment, as well as discretionary exemptions, helped relieve some recipients from ABAWD rules–especially in the aftermath of COVID-19. As HR1 is implemented, these waivers will no longer be available.

Under HR1, work reporting requirements will be expanded to include ABAWD up to age 65 and include parents or guardians of children over the age of 14. Additionally, veterans, the homeless, and young people aging out of foster care are no longer exempt from the work requirement. 

Rest assured that changes to SNAP will not be felt overnight, but families will begin to feel the impact as HR1 is implemented, and it's important that they remain informed.

Big Medicaid Changes Coming Following Trump’s July 4th Budget Bill

Posted on July 24, 2025

Mary profile photo
Mary Coogan
President/CEO

Many continue to analyze the potential impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that President Trump signed on July 4 (hereinafter referred to as HR1). HR1 provisions impacting New Jersey's Medicaid population were shared at the NJ Medicaid Assistance Advisory Council (MAAC) meeting on July 17. Materials from this and other MAAC meetings are available on the MAAC website

It is not yet clear what adjustments New Jersey may need to make to NJ FamilyCare or state benefits as the new requirements are implemented, with some changes taking effect immediately and others over the next few years. Please read the statement from NJ Department of Human Services Commissioner Sarah Adelman to appreciate the breadth of changes to HR1 makes to Medicaid.

Here is what we know about changes to federal Medicaid funding
A primary goal of HR1 is to save $800 billion over the next 10 years in federal Medicaid spending. These savings will be achieved by imposing additional requirements to enroll or maintain coverage, which will likely result in recipients of health coverage through state public health insurance programs, such as NJ FamilyCare, losing their coverage. Reducing the number of New Jersey citizens enrolled will, in turn, decrease the amount the federal government pays to states to support public health insurance programs and other Medicaid-funded services. 

Every state has a public health insurance program, such as NJ FamilyCare, funded with state and federal Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) dollars. Currently, nearly 20% of New Jersey residents, including over 860,000 children, access healthcare through NJ FamilyCare, and almost 550,000 working-age adults are enrolled through the Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion. This Medicaid expansion population is the focus of many of the new federal requirements. 

Federal Medicaid matching payments to states for qualified medical services are based on the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP). The FMAP varies by state and is computed from a formula that takes into account the average per capita income for each state relative to the national average. New Jersey is one of 10 states that benefits from the current law, which sets a minimum federal match level at 50%. Specific categories of health insurance have different levels of FMAP. CHIP receives a 65% federal match, and the Medicaid expansion population gets a 90% federal match. According to the New Jersey Department of Human Services, "the federal government assumes ~60 percent ('blended share') of the cost of NJ FamilyCare":  

      • 90% of the cost for low-income adults covered under the Affordable Care Act
      • 65% of the cost for moderate- to low-income children under CHIP
      • 50% of the cost for most other NJ FamilyCare members

NEW Medicaid Work Requirements and Eligibility Redeterminations
The law requires states to condition Medicaid eligibility for individuals ages 19 to 64 in the Medicaid expansion population on working or participating in qualifying activities, such as education or volunteer services, for at least 80 hours per month. Certain adults, including pregnant or postpartum members, former foster youth up to age 26, parents with children age 13 and under, and those who are "medically frail," are exempt from the requirement. If a person is denied or disenrolled from NJ FamilyCare for failing to meet their work requirements, they are also ineligible for subsidized Marketplace coverage.

Under the new law, NJ FamilyCare renewal determinations for most of the adults enrolled through Medicaid expansion scheduled on or after December 31, 2026, must be conducted every six months. Thus, most of these adults will need to prove they meet the work or community engagement requirement twice a year. This change will result in an additional workload for state and county workers who handle eligibility determinations. States demonstrating a good faith effort to comply and making progress may have until December 31, 2028, to fully implement the change. 

The New Jersey Department of Human Services estimates that up to 300,000 eligible residents may lose, or fail to obtain, NJ FamilyCare coverage due to new bureaucratic barriers, many of which stem from the difficulty in producing the required documentation. Up to 50,000 adults could lose coverage because they are unable to provide the necessary documentation to comply with the work requirement. This may result in $400 million in lost federal funding to New Jersey.  

Out-of-Pocket Costs Imposed on all Medicaid Enrollees
All states currently have the option to impose out-of-pocket costs such as premiums and copayments on some Medicaid enrollees. As of October 2028, states must charge Medicaid enrollees with family incomes between 100% and 138% of the federal poverty level (FPL)–which is $15,650 for a single adult who qualifies for the program based on income alone–up to $35 per healthcare service. Certain services and providers are exempt from this cost-sharing obligation, including prenatal care, pediatric care, primary care, emergency care, and care delivered by federally qualified health centers or certified community behavioral health clinics that provide mental health care or substance use disorder services. The cost-sharing will be capped at 5% of a family's household income.

Under current law, undocumented immigrants are not eligible for Medicaid coverage. Several states, including New Jersey, use state-only funds to provide health coverage to children, regardless of immigration status–as long as the household income meets the eligibility requirements. Initial budget reconciliation proposals sought to reduce the federal Medicaid match for these states. The Senate parliamentarian ruled that this provision cannot be enacted as part of the budget reconciliation process. However, as of October 1, 2026, in the adult population, only lawful residents, Cuban/Haitian entrants, and Compact of Free Association migrants from certain Pacific Island nations will qualify for Medicaid. Approximately 15,000 to 25,000 individuals in New Jersey will lose Medicaid coverage. 

Provider Taxes
Currently, the state assesses a tax on hospitals, providers, and health plans of up to 6% of revenue, which is eligible for a federal match. New Jersey then reinvests these funds into our healthcare system. For fiscal year 2026, this assessment is projected to generate approximately $875 million in federal revenue. HR1 requires that, starting in fiscal year 2027, the cap of 6% be gradually reduced to 3.5% by fiscal year 2032. Nearly $400 million will be lost as a result of this reduction. Fourteen counties utilize the provider tax to secure additional federal funding for their hospitals. The state estimates that by 2032, approximately $800 million of this federal revenue will be lost.

Emergency Medicaid
Emergency Medicaid offers limited coverage for individuals who lack a qualifying immigration status and covers emergency services delivered in an inpatient hospital setting. New Jersey's federal match starting in October 2026 will be reduced from the current 90% match to the 50% base rate. New Jersey is likely to lose in the range of $446 million in annual federal Medicaid funding.

Clearly, HR1 will have a devastating impact on NJ FamilyCare, hospitals throughout the state, and other Medicaid-funded programs. These cuts may also impact school-based, health-related services and possibly behavioral health services provided through our state’s Children’s System of Care. 

ACNJ is working with other organizations that serve those enrolled in NJ FamilyCare to help educate members about new requirements, and with state officials to ensure compliance as these requirements are implemented. For more information, contact Mary Coogan at mcoogan@acnj.org

Redefining Repayment: The Future of Student Loans

Posted on July 24, 2025

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Authored by:
Adriana Bland
Deborah T. Poritz Summer Public Interest Legal Fellowship Program, LSNJ

For more information on positive youth development efforts, contact Isaiah Fudge at Ifudge@acnj.org.

Access to higher education has evolved significantly, as doors have opened to welcome students from all walks of life. Institutions that were once only available to the wealthy or elite, are now available to all genders, ethnicities, cultures, and socioeconomic statuses. Increased financial aid, perceptions about the importance of higher education, and flexibility in curriculum and technology have all contributed to increased enrollment in college and graduate school programs. However, these strides may be in jeopardy with HR1. HR1 will significantly impact students’ and families’ decisions about attending college and/or graduate school in the upcoming years. HR1 changes student loan repayment options, sets new borrowing limits, and alters federal financial aid. 

Terms to Know:

  • Student Loans - money borrowed that must be paid back with interest.
  • Direct Subsidized Loans - a federal student loan where a borrower isn’t generally responsible for paying interest while in an in-school, grace, or deferment period. 
  • Direct Unsubsidized Loans - offers students a low, fixed interest rate and flexible repayment terms. It’s not based on financial need.
  • Direct PLUS Loans - available to graduate students and parents of dependent undergraduate students for which the borrower is fully responsible for paying the interest regardless of the loan status.
  • Repayment Options - different ways a borrower can pay back a loan or debt.
  • Forbearance - allows borrowers to temporarily stop making monthly student loan payments or temporarily make smaller payments for certain situations (financial difficulties, medical expenses, change in employment, other acceptable reasons).
  • Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) - a form required to be eligible for federal student aid (i.e., federal grants, work study, loans) and must be completed every year.
  • Pell Grants - a federal grant for undergraduate students with financial need, designed to assist students from low-income households. 

FAFSA and Pell Grants
Starting in 2024, students and families who were completing the FAFSA were required to list certain assets (i.e., family farms, fishing enterprises, small businesses, etc.). As of July 1, 2026, these assets will no longer be part of the federal financial aid eligibility calculation, making it easier for some individuals to qualify for aid. 

Another change under HR1 will greatly impact Pell Grants. The Federal Pell Grant program is the largest federal grant program available only to undergraduate students who demonstrate exceptional financial need on their FAFSA. Unlike loans, Pell Grants typically do not need to be repaid. Also, award amounts tend to change yearly–for the 2025-2026 award year, students could receive a maximum of $7,395. Under HR1, the use of Pell Grants has been expanded, allowing individuals to use their award money for non-degree programs, such as job training, at accredited institutions starting July 1, 2026. While this change expands access to the workforce for low-income students, if a school awards a student financial aid that equals or exceeds the cost of attendance, that student will not receive the Pell Grant. 

New Borrowing Limits
Both graduate students and their parents will be limited in how much money they can borrow for student loans. Before HR1, students and their families could borrow up to the school’s cost of attendance, minus other financial aid received. The use of the federal Grad PLUS loan program and federal Parent PLUS loan program made college and graduate school more accessible. However, effective July 1, 2026, parents will only be able to borrow $20,000 per year, at a lifetime cap of $65,000 per student. Additionally, the Grad PLUS program will no longer accept new borrowers and will impose caps. For professional school degrees, borrowers will be limited to $50,000 per year and $200,000 total (not including undergraduate debt). For other graduate degrees, the cap will be $20,500 per year and $100,000 total, also not including undergraduate debt. For graduate student borrowers this is especially troubling as little financial aid is often available for graduate school. Taking away the Grad PLUS program makes it more difficult for graduate students to afford tuition and/or living expenses. 

Student Loan Repayment Options
HR1 will streamline student loan repayment options, however, borrowers may pay more than before. Beginning on July 1, 2026, borrowers will have the choice between a “refashioned” standard repayment plan or the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP). The standard repayment plan requires fixed payments that are made over a term of years based on the amount of the loan. The larger the loan, the longer the term; with payments ranging from 10 to 25 years. RAP is most similar to what some borrowers know as the Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plan, tying payment amount to a borrower’s adjusted gross income. These payments will range anywhere from 1% to 10%, while previously existing IDR plans will cease to exist for new borrowers. 

HR1 also eliminates the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan, the Biden-Era repayment plan that was the most affordable option for many borrowers. Almost 8 million student loan borrowers are currently under this plan which will be defunct starting August 1, 2025. Under SAVE, payments were based on 5% of a borrower’s income. Now, with the repayment plan changes, some borrowers will not be able to afford their payments. Further, HR1 eliminates loan deferments for individuals experiencing economic hardship and unemployment and decreases how long students can be in forbearance from 12 to 9 months.

Current students and those assessing higher education affordability must stay on top of their loans and further information about how student loans will be impacted by HR1. Low-income students, and those of color especially, may see significant reductions in access to college and graduate school. While students will still have access to private loans, these loans often have much higher interest rates, reduced protection for borrowers, and sometimes require certain credit scores. One thing is for sure, borrowers will be forced to make tough choices regarding their degrees.

Alert: State Budget Shortfall Cuts Child Care Access For Thousands of Families

Posted on July 23, 2025

Child Care Budget Shortfall

ACT NOW

Thousands of New Jersey families will lose access to child care assistance due to a $30 million funding gap in the state budget.

$30M

State Budget Shortfall

Aug. 1

Changes Take Effect

6%

Higher Co-Payment Rate

New Applications Paused

You may have heard about the recent changes to New Jersey’s Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), which is administered by the Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development (DFD), and distributes subsidies to providers through their local Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agency. This is the result of a $30 million state budget shortfall needed to fully fund the program.

These changes are disappointing but your voice still matters. While the state budget has been finalized, lawmakers need to hear how it’s hurting your business, your staff, and the families you support.

SPEAK OUT NOW! Your stories can spark change and shape future funding opportunities.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

📞 Call or email your State Assemblymembers and Senators today and tell them how these changes affect your program and the families in your care.

View script to call your legislators

I'm [Your Name], director of [Center Name] in [Town], where we serve [X] children—[X]% are on subsidy. I am calling because recent CCAP changes are creating hardship for working families, parents in school, and jeopardizing stable child care in New Jersey.

I urge you to prioritize CCAP funding in any supplemental or future budget decisions.

Thank You.

📣 Encourage parents to speak up too. Volume and personal stories matter.

📝 ACNJ would like to hear about parents' and child care providers' experiences accessing the New Jersey Child Care Assistance program to understand the challenges they face and inform our advocacy efforts.

Key changes that will significantly impact both providers and families across New Jersey starting August 1, 2025:

Co-Payment Increases:

  • New co-payments will take effect for families starting August 1, 2025, at the time of redetermination.
  • Most full-time co-pays will be around 6% of a family's income, although actual amounts will vary.
    • Families under 100% FPL will continue to have no co-pay.

No Changes for:

    • Children from families receiving Work First New Jersey (WFNJ) cash assistance
    • Children involved in child protective services or post-adoption services

Application Closure:

  • DFD will pause new applications and additional child applications for CCAP starting 11:59 PM on July 31, 2025.
  • Applications received before the deadline will be processed, and payments for all active cases will continue.
  • The online portal (https://mynjhelps.gov/home) and state child care websites will be updated to reflect these changes (https://www.childcarenj.gov/).

THIS REDUCTION IN SERVICES IS A DIRECT RESULT OF INSUFFICIENT FUNDING IN THE STATE BUDGET

The final New Jersey state budget did not include the additional $30 million needed to fully fund the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) and continue accepting new families. While CCAP received an $80 million increase, this fell $30 million short of what was required to maintain open enrollment and serve additional children from existing families.

It is essential to note that this additional funding would have been allocated from the state budget, not federal sources.