New Jersey S 2125: Requires DCF to publish and disseminate information on early childhood mental health to certain professionals.

Bill Text

S2125 

SENATE, No. 2125 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Senator PAUL D. MORIARTY

District 4 (Atlantic, Camden and Gloucester)

SYNOPSIS

���� Requires DCF to publish and disseminate information 
on early childhood mental health to certain professionals.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative 
Counsel.

�� 

An Act concerning children and mental health and supplementing 
Title 9 of the Revised Statutes.

���� Be It 
Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of 
the State of New Jersey:

����� 1.�� a.� 
The Department of Children and Families, in collaboration with the Department 
of Human Services and the Department of Education, shall publish information on early childhood mental health on its 
Internet website and disseminate the information to social workers, teachers, 
and child care workers, whose work consists primarily of providing services to 
children who are five years of age or younger.� 

���� b.��� The information established pursuant to this 
section shall include, but not be limited to: 

���� (1) discussing the importance 
for early childhood mental health awareness; 

���� (2) appropriately relaying 
mental health concerns to a parent or guardian; and

���� (3) referring a parent or 
guardian to State or community resources to assess a child�s mental health 
needs;

���� c.���� The Department of 
Children and Families may provide in-service training of social workers, 
teachers, and child care workers on the information 
published and disseminated pursuant to this section.

���� 2.��� The Department of 
Children and Families, in accordance with Administrative Procedure Act," 
P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), shall adopt rules and regulations to 
implement the provisions of this act.

���� 3.� This act shall take effect 
no later than 360 days after the date of enactment.

STATEMENT

���� This bill requires the 
Department of Children and Families to publish and disseminate information on 
early childhood mental health to certain professionals.

���� Specifically, the Department 
of Children and Families, in collaboration with the Department of Human 
Services and the Department of Education, is to publish information on early 
childhood mental health on its Internet website and disseminate the information 
to social workers, teachers, and child care workers, whose work consists 
primarily of providing services to children who are five years of age or 
younger.� 

���� The bill provides that the 
information is to include, but not be limited to:� (1) discussing the 
importance for early childhood mental health awareness; (2) appropriately 
relaying mental health concerns to a parent or guardian; and (3) referring a 
parent or guardian to State or community resources to assess a child�s mental 
health needs.

���� Under the bill, the Department 
of Children and Families may provide in-service training of social workers, 
teachers, and child care workers on the information published and disseminate 
pursuant to the bill�s provisions.