Posted on May 5, 2025
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New Jersey Kids Count County Pocket Guide 2025
Posted on April 22, 2025
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ACNJ Testimony on New Jersey FY2026 Budget calls for the State to fully fund DFD’s budget
Posted on April 17, 2025
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Winifred testifies asking state to fund Division of Family Development’s budget fully to secure child care for New Jersey's families.
To: Chairman Sarlo and Members of the Senate Budget Committee
From: Winifred Smith-Jenkins, Ed. D, Director of Early Learning for Policy and Advocacy
Date: April 10, 2025
Re: Testimony of Advocates for Children of New Jersey on the Fiscal Year 2026 State Budget
Good afternoon, Chairman Sarlo and Members of the Senate Budget Committee.
My name is Winifred Smith-Jenkins, and I serve as the Director of Early Learning for Policy and Advocacy at Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ). Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony on the Fiscal Year 2026 State Budget.
ACNJ appreciates the Administration and Legislature’s continued commitment to children and families. Your investments—such as the state child tax credit, NJ Family Care, pre-K to 12th grade education funding, support for food security programs, and the strengthening of maternal health and home visiting services—reflect a deep dedication to ensuring all children in New Jersey have the opportunity to thrive.
However, realizing that vision requires continued, strategic investment, especially in the Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development Child Care Assistance Program, which thousands of working families with children between the ages of 0 and 13 rely on every day.
Child care, after-school, and summer camp programs across New Jersey continue to face a severe workforce shortage, which limits their ability to serve families. Despite signs of broader economic recovery, child care employment is still 8% below pre-pandemic levels (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024). This staffing gap means classrooms remain closed, families are stuck on waitlists, and employers across many industries face higher absenteeism and lower productivity—all of which hurt our economy.
The New Jersey Child Care Assistance Program is a lifeline for many low-income families. It enables parents to work while ensuring their children are in safe, nurturing environments. But this system is at a breaking point. The proposed budget supports subsidies for only 70,000 children. At the same time, the number of eligible families continues to grow and does not reflect the established pace of service expansion. Seasonal enrollment surges—especially during summer months—only add to the pressure. And if the federal government implements a new work requirement for Medicaid recipients, the demand will increase even more.
In addition, new federal regulations will require states to begin making prospective payments to child care, after-school, and summer programs in 2026, paying them up front rather than after services are delivered. While this is a positive move for stabilizing these businesses, implementing it effectively will require careful planning, system upgrades, and provider support.
Without full funding, New Jersey will struggle with the thoughtful implementation required to meet the new requirements and will not have the time to adequately support the providers tasked with doing this work. A $20 million shortfall in the DFD’s budget would mean fewer children served, more parents unable to work, and added strain on already stretched-thin providers.
The solution is straightforward: fully fund DFD’s budget.
This is more than just a fiscal decision—it’s a reflection of our values. Full funding means we protect access to care and education for children and families in need, support New Jersey’s workforce, comply with federal standards, and invest in a child care system that is stable, equitable, and essential for our shared future.
Thank you for your time and your continued commitment to the children and families of New Jersey.
Federal cuts will have significant impact on a crucial resource for youth development
Posted on May 5, 2025


By Isaiah Fudge
Director
Positive Youth Development
For more information on this topic, contact Isaiah at ifudge@acnj.org
On April 22, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice terminated $811 million in funding to programs across the nation that support essential services for youth, including mental wellness, rehabilitation, and school safety. One critical resource in New Jersey—community-based violence intervention and prevention (CBVIP) programs—has lost over $35 million in federal funding, inevitably impacting a large percentage of the over 2 million children in the state.
What’s Being Lost
As gun violence garners attention as a public health crisis, violence intervention and prevention (VIP) has emerged as an essential, whole-child health initiative capable of responding to such an issue. According to the State of New Jersey, “CBVI programming reached more than 16,000 community members through strategic partnerships with schools, community events, group and one-on-one programs, and responses to violent incidents.” Such efforts from CBVIP reduce the strain on entities like schools and law enforcement. Consequently, as VIP work has proliferated, N.J. has seen decreases in school referrals to police for weapons, and a steady reduction in gun violence. Specifically, 2024 crime data showed a 16% decline in shootings from 2023—reflecting a record low since tracking began in 2009. This followed a 13% decrease from 2022 to 2023, continuing a steady downward trend.
Additionally, N.J.’s chronic absenteeism rate continues to fall due in part to CBVIP efforts to protect youth as they go to and from school. Many youth who experience Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) encounter VIP programs that positively impact them. These organizations frequently offer community education and employment opportunities, affording disconnected youth opportunities to establish, or reestablish, themselves within their communities.
Who These Cuts Will Affect
- Youth in economically insecure communities across the state
- Victims of crimes
- Organizations addressing root causes of violence
- Caregivers of the youth in these communities
- Youth in schools across the state
- Faculty and staff in schools and other youth-serving institutions
- Youth diverted from detention and into rehabilitative programming
- Youth seeking mental wellness supports
- Law enforcement agencies and other public safety officials
Key Impacts in New Jersey
(To explore the following data and more, view ACNJ’s Kids Count 2025 Pocket Guide.)
- There are 1,379,988 students in N.J.’s schools. Schools will now have more strain placed on them to address issues such as discipline, safety, and access to mental health resources.
- The youth arrest rate has fallen by 26% since 2020. Law enforcement will face pressures to sustain this without CBVIP’s support.
- As CBVIP jobs are cut, families will face increased economic insecurity, contributing to an already rising food insecure child population.
Read more on the CBVIP cuts.
Register for Advocating for Neurodivergent Children with Learning Disabilities Webinar
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.