What’s New?

The Impact of Social Media on Adolescents

Posted on September 22, 2025

ACNJ served on New Jersey’s Commission on the Effects of Social Media Usage on Adolescents, which examined how social media impacts young people. The Commission published recommendations aimed at preserving social media’s benefits while reducing potential harms – including banning cellphones at school and delaying social media access until age 16.

GrowingUpOnline

More in the News:

How CenteringPregnancy® Improves Outcomes for Parents and Babies in New Jersey

Posted on October 6, 2025

Authored by:
Disha Patel Headshot
Disha Patel, MPH
Manager, Health Policy
Centering Healthcare Institute

Patient-centered care prioritizes the needs of each individual. One powerful example is group prenatal care, such as CenteringPregnancy®, which has been shown to lower the risk of preterm birth, low birthweight and NICU stays. In New Jersey, we need to build greater awareness of group prenatal care and update policies to ensure all birthing people receive the high-quality care they deserve.

What is Centering?

Centering Healthcare Institute is a non-profit organization that works closely with health care providers from all sectors to transform healthcare delivery, especially regarding improving outcomes related to mothers, babies and families. With over three decades of experience as the go-to resource for group care, we have developed and sustained the evidence-based Centering model of care in nearly 500 practice sites and in some of the largest health systems in the world.

2025 election badge2

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

Partner with us!
Engage with candidates!

CenteringPregnancy®

        • Facilitated, group-based medical appointments consisting of:
            • Health assessments
            • Interactive learning
            • Community building
        • Higher rates of patient satisfaction, preparation for labor and delivery
        • Improved attendance at visits and stress reduction
        • Patients have the opportunity to be heard
        • Providers have a chance to listen and evaluate patient needs
        • Reduction in racial and socioeconomic disparities in birth outcomes

Evidence

With over 200 peer-reviewed studies, Centering:

  • Reduces the risk of preterm birth by 33-47%, with further reduced risk for Black pregnant people
  • Increases breastfeeding initiation 
  • Increases likelihood of LARCs (Long-Acting Reversible Contraception) use by 70%
  • Reduces the risk of NICU admissions by 37% 
  • Reduces emergency room utilization

Centering in New Jersey

        • 24 CenteringPregnancy sites, over 500 patients served
        • More than 1 in 4 pregnant patients at NJ CenteringPregnancy sites received care through CenteringPregnancy
        • 2023 Data:
Centering New Jersey
Preterm Birth 9.9% 11.3%
Low Birth Weight 6.8% 7.98%

CHI’s Policy Recommendations

        • Increase the enhanced reimbursement rate for group prenatal care from $7 to $45 per patient per session
        • Include coverage for federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) in amended policy as FQHCs serve underserved populations, reduce barriers to care, improve birth outcomes, reduce health disparities and support financial sustainability

Why an Increase for Enhanced Reimbursement is Beneficial for NJ

        • Targets disparities
            • With the support and education that group prenatal care provides, it allows both patient and providers to address social determinants of health
        • Cost Savings for Medicaid
            • Almost half of the births being financed by Medicaid, meaning the outcomes that Centering has proven to have can translate to cost savings for Medicaid
            • Enhanced reimbursement also helps providers cover the extra time, staffing and materials needed
        • Alignment with Existing Initiatives
            • New Jersey has made significant strides in improving maternal and child health outcomes and increasing the reimbursement for group prenatal care would continue with this broader strategy. 

Call to Action

        • Invest in long-term cost savings
        • Improve maternal and child health outcomes by recognizing CenteringPregnancy as patient-centered care and closing gaps in maternal morbidity and mortality

To learn more about our models of care, expand Centering in New Jersey, and influence policy, partner with the Centering Healthcare Institute.

Read our latest updates on maternal and infant health.

Placement Options in Special Education

Posted on September 25, 2025

Co-Authored by:

Lauren DeCamp
Corporate Counsel
Audible

Casey O'Brien
Corporate Counsel
Global Mile

 

For more information on this topic, contact Nina Peckman at npeckman@acnj.org.

As a parent of a child with special needs, understanding the various placement options available through special education can be overwhelming. Your child has a right to be educated in the "least restrictive environment" under New Jersey law (N.J.A.C. 6A:14-4.2 and 4.3). This means that, to the maximum extent appropriate, your child should be educated alongside peers without disabilities and as close to home as possible. NJ law only allows more restrictive placements, discussed below, when your student’s disability makes education in more inclusive general education settings impossible to achieve satisfactorily with reasonable accommodations and supports.

Read more guest blogs from our partners at Audible and Amazon.

New Jersey law requires schools to maintain what's called a "continuum of placements." This means they must provide a range of educational options to meet the individual needs of students with disabilities. This approach recognizes that students with disabilities have varying needs that require different levels of support and specialized services. Your child's Individual Education Program (IEP) team, which includes the parent, must offer placement options to appropriately match your child's individual requirements with the most suitable learning environment(s).

Importantly, your child has the right to participate in multiple settings based on their individual needs. Your child's placement should be based on their IEP and must be reviewed at least annually. The school cannot remove your child from general education classes solely because they need curriculum modifications.

Here are some common terms for the placement options your child has a right to access:

  • Inclusive Setting: This is where your child learns in a general education classroom alongside students without disabilities. In this environment, your child participates fully in the general education curriculum while receiving necessary support services and modifications within the regular classroom. 
  • Push-In Services: In this model, special education teachers or specialists come directly into the general education classroom to provide support while your child remains with their peers. This might involve co-teaching or individual support within the regular classroom setting for one or more subjects or support services, allowing your child to receive specialized help without being separated from their classmates.
  • Pull-Out Services: With this approach, your child leaves the general education classroom for specific periods to receive specialized instruction in a separate resource room. This might happen for certain subjects or specific support services, after which your child returns to the general education classroom for the rest of their subjects.
  • Self-Contained: This means a special class specifically designed for students with disabilities, taught by a special education teacher. These classrooms typically have smaller class sizes and provide more intensive support.  This setting is used when students need more specialized instruction that cannot be effectively provided in the general education setting.
  • Special Education Programs: This means programs out of the student’s home district, including another district, county vocational district, rehabilitation program, medical institutions, non-public school approved for students with disabilities, non-public or out-of-state programs in special circumstances, residential, home instruction, or other settings. One of these settings may be appropriate if the district cannot offer a proper in-district program. 

In any of these settings, your child may receive various supplementary aids and services, including:

  • Curricular or instructional modifications
  • Specialized instructional strategies
  • Assistive technology devices and services
  • Teacher aides
  • Related services
  • Integrated therapies
  • Consultation services
  • In-class resource programs

To help ensure your child receives appropriate placement:

  • Actively participate in IEP meetings
  • Request detailed explanations of proposed placements
  • Review your child's progress regularly
  • Ensure decisions are based on your child's individual needs
  • Remember that your child can participate in multiple settings if needed

Consider consulting an attorney if:

  • Your child's placement decisions appear to be based on administrative convenience rather than individual needs
  • The school refuses to consider less restrictive alternatives
  • Your child is being removed from general education without proper justification

Relevant laws:

KidLaw Resource Center

Understanding Discipline Rights in Special Education: A Parent’s Guide

Posted on September 24, 2025

Co-Authored by:

Krys Kim
Contracts Manager

Gavin Pereira
Corporate Counsel

Shivani Shah
Corporate Counsel

 

For more information on this topic, contact Nina Peckman at npeckman@acnj.org.

As a parent of a child with special needs, navigating the educational system can be challenging - especially when it comes to discipline. Let's break down what you need to know about your child's rights when it comes to school discipline.

Schools can suspend students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) just like any other student - but only up to a point. The magic number here is 10 days. After that, several important protections kick in for your child. This applies not just to students with existing IEPs, but also to those in the initial evaluation process. Additionally, whether the student has an IEP or is being evaluated for one, before any suspension, the student’s unique circumstances, due to the disabling condition, may be considered in deciding whether or not to suspend or change the student’s placement. 

Read more guest blogs from our partners at Audible and Amazon.

What Happens After 10 Days?
Once your child reaches that 10-day threshold (either consecutively or cumulatively in a school year), here's what should happen:

      • The school must schedule a "manifestation determination" meeting
      • Educational services must continue
      • You should receive written notice about any disciplinary actions

The Manifestation Determination Meeting
This meeting is crucial - it's where the school staff, IEP team and parents come together to answer two questions:

  1. Was your child's behavior caused by or directly related to their disability?
  2. Did the behavior happen because the school failed to properly implement the IEP?

What Comes Next?
It depends on the findings from that meeting. If the behavior IS related to the child’s disability:

      • Your child returns to their original placement (unless you agree to a change)
      • The school must conduct a behavioral assessment
      • A behavior intervention plan needs to be created or updated

If the behavior is NOT related to the child’s disability:

      • Regular discipline procedures may apply
      • Your child must still receive educational services

Special Circumstances You Should Know About
There are some situations where schools can move your child to an alternative setting for up to 45 days, regardless of the manifestation determination:

      • If they bring weapons to school
      • If drugs are involved
      • If they cause serious bodily injury to another person

Pre-school students with disabilities may not be suspended or expelled. There are also certain restrictions on suspensions and expulsions up through 2nd grade. 

Know Your Rights
As a parent, you have several important rights throughout this process:

      • You must receive written notice and due process rights for any disciplinary action, including the right to a school board hearing for long-term suspensions
      • You have the right to participate in all meetings
      • You can appeal decisions through due process
      • You can request expedited hearings
      • Your child has the right to continue receiving educational and related services no later than the 5th day of suspension

Understanding these rights is crucial for advocating for your child. While schools need to maintain safe learning environments, students with disabilities have specific protections under the law. Don't be afraid to ask questions and seek clarification - your involvement is key to ensuring your child's rights are protected.

Remember: These laws come from New Jersey Administrative Code (N.J.A.C. 6A:14-2.8 read with 20 U.S.C. § 1415(k) and N.J.A.C. 6A:16).

Note: This blog provides general information and should not be considered legal advice. Always consult with educational advocates or legal professionals for specific situations.

KidLaw Resource Center

Education Rights of Homeless Students: Under New Jersey Law

Posted on September 23, 2025

Co-Authored by:

Ruth Vinson
Senior Corporate Counsel
Amazon

Carter Nelson
Corporate Counsel
Amazon

Jake Goodman
Corporate Counsel
Audible

 

For more information on this topic, contact Nina Peckman at npeckman@acnj.org.

Summary of the Law
New Jersey law allows homeless children to continue attending school in the district they lived in prior to becoming homeless, unless this is not feasible or is against the parent’s wishes. Alternatively, the child may go to school in the district in which they last attended or where they are currently living. Transportation shall be provided by the district where the student is enrolled. A child is considered homeless when they lack a fixed, regular, and adequate residence. This includes children living in shelters, hotels/motels, cars, parks, public spaces, condemned or dilapidated housing, tents, abandoned buildings, temporary housing, or staying with relatives or friends due to lack of adequate housing. The law also ensures the education of children who are in state correctional facilities or resource family care.

Read more guest blogs from our partners at Audible and Amazon.

Your School Options
The school district your child attended prior to becoming homeless is responsible for deciding where the child is enrolled. They should make this decision based on the best interest of the child and in accordance with the child’s parent’s wishes. These are the options for enrollment: They should enroll the child in the school district they were in prior to becoming homeless to the extent feasible, unless the parent does not want the child to be enrolled there. Otherwise, they should continue the child’s enrollment in the school district the child last attended or they should enroll the child in the school district where the child resides. This enrollment should be maintained for the duration of homelessness and for the remainder of the school year if the child becomes permanently housed during the school year.

After this decision is made, the child will be enrolled immediately, even if the child does not have documentation normally required for enrollment such as academic records or medical records. If there is a dispute about enrollment, the child will be immediately enrolled in the district the parent wants until the dispute is resolved. In addition, for children placed in districts other than where they are living, the school district must provide transportation services.

Resolving Disputes & Appealing
If a school district disputes your child’s homeless status or refuses your choice of school placement, don’t give up – you have appeal rights. First, contact the district’s homeless liaison immediately. If that doesn’t resolve the issue, the dispute goes to the executive county superintendent, who must make a decision within 48 hours. During any dispute, your child must be allowed to stay enrolled in the school where you want them to attend. If the county superintendent’s decision doesn’t resolve the matter, you can appeal to the state Commissioner of Education.

Getting Assistance
You should consider contacting an attorney if: the school district refuses to recognize your homeless status; denies your school choice; fails to provide required transportation, appropriate education, and/or support services; refuses immediate enrollment; or if appeals through the county and state levels are unsuccessful. 

For the complete law, see N.J.A.C. 6A:17. For immediate assistance with school enrollment or other homeless education rights, contact your local school district’s homeless education liaison. If the district’s liaison isn’t helpful, contact the New Jersey Department of Education's McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Coordinator.

KidLaw Resource Center