New Jersey Awards $665,928 to Unify Mental Health and Addiction Care

People in New Jersey who need mental health treatment, addiction care, and physical health services usually have to chase that help across separate systems.

The state is now paying to change that. On October 5, 2026, the New Jersey Department of Human Services announced contracts to two community health providers to run integrated care programs, putting mental health treatment, addiction treatment, and primary care in a single location.

The awards went to St. James Health for $391,275 and Zufall Health for $274,653. Both organizations will offer primary care, mental health services, addiction treatment, health screenings, and care coordination, plus connections to community resources, under one roof.

What the Integrated Care Contracts Pay For

The model is straightforward. Instead of sending a person with depression and alcohol use disorder to one clinic for therapy, another for medication, and a third for a physical, integrated behavioral health programs treat the whole picture in one place.

State officials said the goal is earlier, more consistent treatment and fewer barriers between a resident and the care they need.

He said the awards will create more convenient, coordinated care so residents can get support for their overall health in one place.

Why Integrated Mental Health Treatment Matters

The approach lines up with what clinicians call dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorders, when a mental health condition and a substance use disorder show up together.

They frequently do. Treating one while ignoring the other tends to produce poor results, which is why integrated programs that address both at once have become the standard many behavioral health providers aim for.

Deputy Commissioner for Health Services Valerie Mielke said the investments will help more New Jersey residents access coordinated services that support recovery, wellness, and long-term health.

Part of a Larger Behavioral Health Shift in New Jersey

The contracts did not arrive in isolation. They follow the state’s adoption earlier this year of rules creating a single, integrated license for outpatient health care facilities.

That licensing change removes a structural barrier, since providers previously needed separate approvals to deliver different categories of care.

New Jersey has also been expanding Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, which are required to offer a broad range of mental health and addiction services regardless of a patient’s ability to pay.

Together, the moves point in one direction: a behavioral treatment system built around coordination instead of fragmentation.

David Helfand, assistant commissioner of the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services, said the funds will expand access to care for people who often face significant barriers to treatment.

Finding Comprehensive Care in New Jersey

For residents, the practical takeaway is that more one-stop options are coming. When researching behavioral health treatment centers, ask whether a facility treats co-occurring mental health and substance use conditions, and whether it coordinates primary care or referrals.

Those questions separate truly integrated programs from addiction-only or mental-health-only providers.

TreatmentCentersDirectory.com maintains a directory of mental health treatment facilities, dual diagnosis treatment programs, and addiction providers across New Jersey and nationwide, so you can compare options by the services they actually offer, including residential treatment centers and outpatient programs that handle co-occurring disorders. Call 800-908-4823 (Sponsored) to get in touch with a treatment specialist today.