New Jersey Mental Health Resources
Mental Health in New Jersey
New Jersey may get some flack in popular culture, but the Garden State enjoys a high ranking when it comes to mental health. According to Soliant Health, a health staffing agency, the state earned the 6th spot in terms of mental health and happiness, with its relatively low violent crime rate, unemployment figures, and youth suicide numbers. The state’s Department of Health has noted that rates of depression have consistently been below the national average, with 15% compared to 20%, respectively.
However, thousands of New Jerseyans continue to have mental health conditions that go untreated. The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that 772,000 New Jersey teens have experienced depression and 61% of teenagers did not receive mental health care. Overall, over 1.12 million New Jerseyans have mental health conditions, which is more than three times the population of Newark.
Over 1.12 Million
New Jersey residents living with a mental health condition
772,000
Teens in New Jersey who've experienced depression
15%
Rate of depression among New Jersey residents
Free Mental Health Resources in New Jersey
NAMI New Jersey is an affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. It offers free peer support groups, family education workshops, and crisis resources for individuals seeking mental health assistance. A network of 19 local affiliates delivers culturally specific outreach programs, operates a mental health helpline, and advocates for improved statewide mental health policies.
Mom2Mom is an initiative that provides support to mothers of special needs children through peer counseling, clinical assessments, individualized goal setting, and specialized support groups. Moms can access advocacy skill-building training, connections to provider networks, and wellness events. Programs are delivered by counselors who are also mothers of children with special needs.
Provide Services for
Teens & Students
Men
Women
Disability
Traumatic Loss Coalitions for Youth Program (TLC) is a statewide network coordinating suicide prevention campaigns and school-based trauma response following traumatic events like suicide, homicide, accident, or illness. TLC serves New Jersey youth (ages 15-24) with onsite crisis intervention, specialized training, consultation, and technical assistance.
Provide Services for
Teens & Students
Men
Women
Depression
Anxiety
Grief
PTSD
Domestic Violence
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) New Jersey offers peer-led support groups for individuals with depression and bipolar disorder through weekly in-person and virtual meetings in 16 locations statewide. Residents can find educational resources on mood disorder treatment, obtain suicide prevention assistance, call a crisis hotline for referral connections (888-829-2483), and search for a local resource finder.
Provide Services for
Depression
PTSD
Anxiety
Grief
NJ HoH Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services is a government-assembled list of local and national crisis hotlines. Residents in distress can access 24/7 immediate support for suicide prevention, substance abuse, gambling addiction, mental health concerns, and veteran services.
988 Lifeline is the NJ Suicide Prevention hotline offering 24/7 free confidential support via phone, text, or chat for anyone experiencing emotional distress or suicidal thoughts. Residents can connect with trained counselors who will listen, connect them to immediate mental health resources, and help develop safety plans. Links to local resources are also available.
2NDFLOOR is a program dedicated to providing New Jersey youth with free, anonymous 24/7 crisis intervention through phone counseling (1.888.222.2228) and mobile app chat support. Accessible mental health care for bullying, family issues, substance abuse, and LGBTQIA+ concerns, as well as peer message boards and topic-specific resources are available.
Provide Services for
Teens & Students
Men
Women
LGBTQ
Depression
Anxiety
Grief
Eating Disorders
Substance Abuse
Domestic Violence
Somerset County's Behavioral Health System Navigator is an online tool connecting county residents to mental health and substance use treatment services through personalized referrals, brief support, and liaison services. The tool's filter options make it possible to find solutions based on cost (like a sliding scale and options offering financial assistance) and type of care.
Children's System of Care (CSOC) provides community-based, culturally competent services and assistance based on New Jersey's youth and families' mental health needs. Services like in-home interventions, residential treatment, withdrawal management, family support services, and specialized developmental disability assistance are available. You can access support 24/7 through PerformCare at 1-877-652-7624.
Provide Services for
Teens & Students
Men
Women
Depression
ADHD
Anxiety
Substance Abuse
Autism
NJ Department of Military and Veterans Affairs connects New Jersey military members, veterans, and their families to benefits programs, housing resources, food assistance, transportation, education services, behavioral health treatment, and peer support. A network of initiatives guarantees comprehensive behavioral healthcare and access to essential services for veterans statewide.
Provide Services for
Men
Women
Veterans
Disability
Empower Somerset is an online collection of resources and toolkits providing mental health education, substance abuse awareness, suicide prevention training, and family support groups. Their evidence-based programs serve the community with free workshops, outreach campaigns, screening tools, resource connections, and harm reduction materials (like Narcan).
Provide Services for
Teens & Students
Men
Women
Uwill – Free Telehealth Counseling provides Ramapo College students free access to licensed mental health professionals via video, phone, chat, or messaging. Students can get help with common mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, stress, relationship difficulties, and academic concerns. Therapists of different specializations, genders, languages, and ethnicities are available with flexible scheduling.
Provide Services for
Teens & Students
Men
Women
Mental Health Association in New Jersey (MHANJ) is a nonprofit delivering low-cost mental health services across the state. Its offerings include crisis helplines, peer-led support groups, substance use recovery assistance, employment resources, peer specialist training, wellness centers, and targeted programs for minorities.
The Bridge NJ provides behavioral healthcare and substance abuse recovery services in New Jersey. This non-profit organization offers individual/group therapy, crisis intervention, substance use counseling, academic support, in-home family preservation, school-based mental health services, and the Imani Center's life skills development for disadvantaged students serving families in the West Caldwell and Irvington communities.
The Mental Health Association in Atlantic County operates peer-led support groups, wellness navigation programs connecting individuals to housing and healthcare services, and family support including respite care, consultation, drop-in mental health services at their clinic, and transportation. Their Acute Care program delivers ongoing crisis support for families, and the Boarding Home Outreach organizes recreational activities for residents with mental health challenges.
Provide Services for
Social Worker