NJCTP Presents Legislative Technical Report 2026 on Mental Health Reform

Trenton, New Jersey — The New Jersey Coalition of Treatment Providers (NJCTP) held a press conference today to present the Legislative Technical Report 2026, a strategic report proposing structural reforms to New Jersey’s mental health and addiction treatment system.

During the event, NJCTP President Daniel Regan emphasized the urgency of transforming the current model into an integrated system grounded in scientific evidence and focused on measurable outcomes.

“We are not facing only a clinical crisis, but a structural one. This moment demands leadership, clarity, and courage,” said Regan.

The report identifies key systemic challenges, including fragmentation across the continuum of care, lack of coordination among agencies and providers, and financing models that prioritize volume over quality. It also outlines recommendations to strengthen governance, transparency, oversight, and continuity of care.
As part of the conference, Regan shared the story of “Ana,” a young mother who sought help but became trapped in a fragmented system and later died from an overdose.

“Ana did not die because treatment did not exist. She died because the system was not designed to hold her,” Regan stated.

State Senator Angela V. McKnight expressed strong support for the report and highlighted its value as a roadmap for public policy in New Jersey.

“This report offers a comprehensive, data-driven roadmap to strengthen New Jersey’s behavioral health system at a time when the need for action has never been more urgent,” Senator McKnight said.

The Senator also underscored the report’s emphasis on insurance parity, expansion of mobile crisis response, integration of telepsychiatry, modernization of treatment policies, and strengthening system oversight.

“Addressing disparities in access to treatment is not only sound public policy, but a moral obligation,” she added.

The Legislative Technical Report 2026 proposes a new architecture for New Jersey’s behavioral health system built on five foundational pillars: system integration, evidence-based policy, outcomes-driven financing, robust oversight, and a unified statewide approach to mental health and addiction.
NJCTP reaffirmed its commitment to working collaboratively with legislators, state agencies, and sector stakeholders to advance reforms that ensure a more equitable, effective, and person-centered system of care.

“New Jersey has a historic opportunity to become a national model for mental health and addiction reform,” Regan concluded.

About NJCTP
The New Jersey Coalition of Treatment Providers (NJCTP) brings together mental health and addiction treatment providers across the state to promote evidence-based public policy, clinical innovation, and interinstitutional collaboration, with the goal of improving access, quality, and outcomes of care.

To review the full PDF of the report, please Click Here.