Way signs legislation strengthening mental health care on college campuses

With students increasingly struggling with their mental health, Acting Governor Tahesha Way signed legislation today that strengthens care for students on college campuses.

“Rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation on college campuses are at an all-time high,” Way said today.  “This has been a true clarion call to action, and few people have answered it more forcefully than Governor Murphy.”

Way signed the legislation at Kean University, where a number of elected officials, higher education leaders, and mental health advocates joined her.

Under this legislation, the state’s universities and colleges must implement annual employee training – including for resident assistants and professors – on mental health; improve access to resources that prevent suicide; and raise mental health awareness among the student population.

“Steps taken today, working in concert with other initiatives and investments by the State, will advance the efforts of New Jersey institutions to meet students where they are with the support and resources they need for success,” said Dr. Brian Bridges, the Secretary of Higher Education.

State Sen. Joseph Cryan (D-Union) – one of the primary sponsors of the legislation in the Senate – praised today’s signing, underscoring the gravity and real human tragedy of the mental health crisis.

Cryan mentioned Aileen Quinn, who died by suicide in 2018 while a student at Steven’s Institute of Technology.

“This beautiful, magical, young student was taken from us way too early, from her beautiful parents and her beautiful family,” Cryan said.

Her parents, Sean and Pauline Quinn, were in attendance today, and Cryan extended a particular note of gratitude to them for their mental health advocacy efforts.

“We can potentially help the next Aileen Quinn,” Cryan added. “Today’s a bill that makes the next person’s life better.”

Assemblywoman Mila Jasey (D-South Orange) – who sponsored the legislation in the Assembly with Assemblymen James Kennedy (D-Rahway) and Bill Moen (D-Bellmawr) – also delivered remarks today. She focused on the tangible actions individuals can take to address the mental health crisis.

“We, as the adults, have to take the reins and respond to social media and devices, because there’s nothing as powerful as face-to-face interactions,” Jasey said today. “And there’s probably somebody in your life who would benefit from a phone call or an invitation.”

Jasey added, “I really think – I know in my heart – that the key to addressing the mental health problems that we have in this country is more and more interaction between people.”

Matt Camarda, the Advocacy & Public Policy Director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness of New Jersey, also attended and celebrated today’s signing as essential for college students.

“This bill recognizes that mental health services and education are essential for college students’ health and well-being,” Camarda said. “Ensuring maximum awareness of the new 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and available mental health services will save lives and bring support to students who are struggling.”

Today’s legislation amends the Madison Holleran Suicide Prevention Act, passed in 2016, and mandated higher education institutions to have suicide prevention professionals available to students 24/7.

Moreover, the bill signed today is the latest action the Murphy Administration has taken to combat college campuses’ widespread mental health crisis.

Student care has been the center of these efforts. A recent partnership between the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE) and participating colleges provides students 24/7, 365 days/year access to tele-mental health services. The state has also invested $16 million of federal funds into higher education institutions to develop community provider partnerships and build multicultural competency among faculty and staff.

The Murphy Administration also worked on setting up the 9-8-8 suicide prevention hotline.

Way, the state’s lieutenant governor and Secretary of State, will serve as acting governor until Phil Murphy returns from his economic mission to East Asia on Sunday afternoon.