Read the full stored bill text
S4412 1R FISCAL ESTIMATE
LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE
[First Reprint]
SENATE, No. 4412
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
DATED: JUNE 25, 2026
SUMMARY
Synopsis:
Provides for youth mental health care professionals in
family court.
Type of Impact:
Annual State expenditure increase.
Agencies Affected:
The Judiciary; Department of Children and Families;
Department of Human Services.
Office of
Legislative Services Estimate
Fiscal Impact
�
Annual�
State Expenditure Increase
Indeterminate
�
The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) concludes that providing
youth mental health care professionals in family court will result in an
indeterminate annual increase in State expenditures.� The OLS lacks sufficient
information to precisely quantify the fiscal impact, primarily because it is
unknown exactly how many youth mental health care professionals will be hired
as a result of the bill.
�
The OLS finds that as many as 15 youth mental health care
professionals could be hired as a result of the bill.� Depending on the number
of hires, the annual State expenditure increase could be in the hundreds of
thousands of dollars and potentially in the millions of dollars.
BILL DESCRIPTION
����� This bill provides for youth mental health care
professionals in family court.
����� Under the provisions of the bill, the Superior Court,
Chancery Division, Family Part in each vicinage must provide for a youth mental
health care professional.� The bill provides that, at the discretion of the
Administrative Office of the Courts, a youth mental health care professional
may serve more than one vicinage so long as the youth mental health care
professional maintains a reasonable caseload.� A youth mental health care
professional would be a State employee and in the unclassified service.
����� The youth mental health care professional would
support and advise, upon the request of a judge, the court in an action or
proceeding submitted to or heard by the Superior Court, Chancery Division,
Family Part, where an individual under 18 years of age is a party to the action
or proceeding or a subject of the action or proceeding.
����� The youth mental health care professional would assist
and collaborate with other mental health professionals and service providers to
assist the court with: identifying youth with mental health needs; recognizing
when specific mental health interventions are indicated; providing a referral
for evidence-based mental health services when appropriate; and connecting
youth and caregivers to appropriate supports in a timely manner.
����� In addition, the bill amends provisions of State law
concerning the disclosure of juvenile records to permit a youth mental health
care professional to have access to information and records relevant to the
youth, including juvenile delinquency records otherwise confidential under
State law.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
����� None received.
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
����� The OLS concludes that providing youth mental health
care professionals in family court will result in an indeterminate annual
increase in State expenditures. The OLS lacks sufficient information to
precisely quantify the fiscal impact, primarily because it is unknown exactly
how many youth mental health care professionals will be hired as a result of
the bill.
����� The following State agencies would incur expenditure
increases: a) the Judiciary would have to hire and supervise youth mental
health care professionals, provide training, and administer the program within
the Family Court system; and b) the Department of Children and Families and the
Department of Human Services would have to coordinate with the Judiciary,
facilitating referrals to youth mental health care professionals, and providing
additional case management and behavioral health services for affected youth
and families.
����� The OLS notes that the Superior Court, Chancery
Division, Family Part in each of the State�s 15 vicinages would be required to
provide for a youth mental health care professional.� The OLS notes that, at
the Administrative Office of the Courts� discretion, a youth mental health care
professional may serve more than one vicinage so long as the youth mental
health care professional maintains a reasonable caseload.
����� The OLS finds that as many as 15 youth mental health
care professionals could be hired as a result of the bill.� Depending on the
number of hires, the annual State expenditure increase could be in the hundreds
of thousands of dollars and potentially in the millions of dollars. For
context, according to the Department of Human Services, the advertised salary
for a new mental healthcare professional hire was between $92,711 and $136,605
in 2026.� For example only, if a youth mental health care professional were
hired at a salary of $92,711, with fringe benefits (59.4 percent), and employer
FICA (7.65 percent), the total estimated annual compensation would be $154,873.
�
Section:
Judiciary
Analyst:
Emely D. Ramirez
Associate Research Analyst
Approved:
Thomas Koenig
Legislative Budget and Finance Officer
This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the
Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to
respond to our request for a fiscal note.
This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980,
c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).