Posted on April 16, 2025
On Thursday, April 24, at 6:30 PM, ACNJ's Parent Leadership Council presents an online webinar for parents of children pre-K through grade 3 -- Advocating for Neurodivergent Children with Learning Differences. Experts will discuss eligibility criteria for IEPs and 504 plans, the rights of qualifying children, and potential accommodations and services at school. Register today.
Posted on April 14, 2025
Posted on April 23, 2025
CONTACT:
Lana Lee
llee@acnj.org
973-643-3876
NEWARK, NJ – With nearly 860,000 children receiving health insurance through NJ FamilyCare, roughly 401,000 students relying on free or reduced-price school lunch, and close to 360,000 children accessing food assistance through SNAP, looming federal cuts to Medicaid and other essential services would devastate federal programs that support the healthy development of our children, according to Advocates for Children of New Jersey.
Its annual data publication, NJ Kids Count 2025: The State of Our Counties, provides a comprehensive snapshot of how well children are faring in the Garden State, underscoring the impact of federal investments on children and families in meeting their basic needs. The data report provides 63 measures of child well-being across 21 counties in the following areas: demographics, family economic security, child health, child protection, child care, education, and teens.
“Without a doubt, if enacted, these deep federal budget cuts will affect you and someone you know. This includes 1.8 million New Jerseyans who rely on NJ FamilyCare, the state’s publicly-funded health insurance program financed through federal and state Medicaid dollars. Slashing Medicaid will have lifelong consequences for New Jersey’s children and youth, denying them of life-saving care and essential services like well-child visits, immunizations, as well as treatments for chronic ailments such as asthma and dental services,” said Mary Coogan, ACNJ President and CEO.
“Advocates for Children of New Jersey has been a longtime champion of NJ FamilyCare, which now covers nearly 20% of all residents living in the Garden State. Medicaid also covers about a third of all New Jersey births annually. These budget decisions will reverberate not just throughout our healthcare system, but will have a ripple effect on our economy, our education and our future,” Coogan added.
Medicaid funding represents a significant portion of state budgets, with New Jersey alone receiving $14 billion in federal Medicaid dollars. As the state legislature and governor work to finalize the state budget, any potential cuts in federal funding will have direct and substantial implications for New Jersey's fiscal decisions.
“This is a pivotal moment to ensure children's needs are prioritized. With the gubernatorial and general assembly elections approaching this November, and the state budget deadline of June 30 looming, ACNJ's #NJVotes4Kids campaign is encouraging voters to engage with all candidates. Whether attending a town hall or community event, your advocacy matters. Together, we can ensure that New Jersey's children aren't just part of the conversation—they're at the very center of our lawmakers' priorities," Coogan said.
Numbers at a Glance
Demographics
Family Economic Security
Child Health
Child Protection
Child Care
Education
Teens
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ABOUT ADVOCATES FOR CHILDREN OF NEW JERSEY (ACNJ)
Advocates for Children of New Jersey is the trusted, independent voice putting children’s needs first for 45 years. Our work results in better laws and policies, more effective funding and stronger services for children and families. And it means that more children are given the chance to grow up safe, healthy, and educated. For more information, visit www.acnj.org.
Posted on April 2, 2025
Mary E. Coogan, Esq.
ACNJ President/CEO
On April 1st, five regional offices within the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) were closed, including 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟐 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐠𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐉𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐲. These offices support child care and Head Start programs, and child welfare services. All staff who worked in these regional offices were placed on leave effective immediately and no longer have access to their files or offices. No transition plan was shared with staff or programs. Rather, this abrupt change only served to increase anxiety and stress. A fact sheet on “HHS’ Transformation to Make American Healthy Again” did not provide much more detail. It is unclear how grants will be administered moving forward, including child care and Head Start grants due to start on 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟏. The other offices closed were Regions 1 (Boston), 5 (Chicago), 9 (San Francisco), and 10 (Seattle).
This action resulted from the US Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) effort to make the department “more responsive and efficient.” On March 27, HHS announced a “dramatic restructuring in accordance with President Trump's Executive Order: Implementing the President’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ Workforce Optimization Initiative.” The press release announced a significant staff reduction due to streamlining and centralizing core functions, consolidating divisions, and combining 10 regional offices into five.
At the same time, members of Congress are debating significant cuts to programs like Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and other food programs like school meals. The federal Social Services Block Grant, which supports the work of our Department of Children and Families (DCF), may also be subjected to cuts. Any federal cuts to these programs will significantly impact New Jersey children and families.
Federal and state Medicaid dollars fund NJ FamilyCare, which provides health insurance to 1.8 million people in New Jersey, including 830,000 children, ages 0-18, from low- and moderate-income families and another 80,000 young people, ages 19-21. Medicaid covers almost one-third of the births in New Jersey annually and also covers long-term care for the seriously disabled and elderly. For many families, this coverage is temporary and invaluable during times of crisis. People furloughed or laid off can rely on NJ FamilyCare for coverage so medical bills do not drive them into debt.
In March, the House of Representatives passed a Budget Resolution seeking to cut $1.5 trillion over the next 10 years. To help achieve this goal, members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees Medicare and Medicaid, were instructed to cut at least $880 billion from the budget. It is anticipated that most of the committee’s cuts will have to be from Medicaid.
Federal cuts to Medicaid will have a devastating impact on NJ FamilyCare, resulting in a potential loss of $10 billion, according to the Murphy Administration -- funding the state does not have. Several options are being considered, including significant changes to the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP), which are the percentage rates used to determine the amount a state receives from the federal government for its Medicaid program. Others are recommending that the federal government shift more administrative costs to states, restrict or eliminate the use of provider taxes and directed payments to health care providers, or impose work reporting requirements that studies have shown are more likely to result in a loss of coverage for many low-income working Americans, resulting in a lack of needed health care or increase in unaffordable medical bills.
The FMAP is determined by a formula based upon a state’s per capita income. New Jersey currently benefits from a statutory 50 percent floor on matching funds for most Medicaid services. If this “floor” were eliminated, New Jersey’s match rate would be closer to 38 percent. The proposals being considered by Congress may result in a loss of $2.2 - $5.2 billion in federal funding to New Jersey.
The FMAP determines the match rate for other federal funding, including foster care, adoption, and kinship legal guardianship subsidies, and DCF prevention programs. Medicaid helps support services provided in schools for students with Individual Education Plans (IEPs). The NJ Children’s System of Care (CSOC) provides treatment and support services to over 38,000 children and youth with moderate to severe behavioral health problems and/or intellectual or developmental disabilities, including autism, each month. CSOC services are provided at no cost to families, relying on private health insurance, NJ FamilyCare, and state funds. DCF reports that 69% of children receiving services through CSOC are insured by Medicaid. A reduction in the federal match for Medicaid and the federal Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) could create a $38.9 million budget gap for CSOC.
Finally, the House Agriculture Committee has been instructed to cut $230 billion, which could mean a significant reduction in funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and school meals. The continuing resolution currently funding the federal government through September has already cut $26 million in funding that supports New Jersey’s local food programs.
Posted on April 9, 2025
On May 12, parents, early childhood staff and caregivers across New Jersey and the nation will participate in “A Day Without Child Care,” bringing attention to the essential role of our undervalued and underpaid early care and education workforce. Armed with stickers that say “Thanks to child care, I’m at work!”, we are asking families to imagine how a day without child care would disrupt their routine and share these moments on social media using #DayWithoutChildCare and #NJVotes4Kids.
Funding New Jersey’s child care infrastructure is just as essential as funding our roads and railways. Our child care system has been in a long-standing crisis due to a lack of accessibility, staffing shortages, and affordability challenges. Most child care providers generate just enough revenue to keep pace with minimum wage, limiting what they can offer staff and often discouraging qualified individuals from remaining in or entering the field.
As New Jersey’s legislature deliberates the state budget, a “Day Without Child Care” is a call to action to invest in our children and those who care for them.
Engage with us on social media by commenting, liking, and sharing our Day Without Child Care videos and posts. Below are the videos on facebook, but you can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and BlueSky.
It's important that you share your stories about what a day without child care means to you. When you post on social media be sure to tag #ACNJ, #DayWithoutChildCare, and #NJVotes4Kids.
