Pascrell Touts $78 Million to New Jersey for Mental Health and Substance Abuse

Lift-changing grants courtesy of landmark American Rescue Plan passed by Congressional Democrats

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) today touted over $78 Million in grants to New Jersey as part of the watershed American Rescue Plan. Dispersed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Garden State will receive get $39,121,366 for the Mental Health Block Grant Supplement and $38,907,646 for the Substance Abuse Block Grant Supplement.

“The American Rescue Plan continues to pay enormous dividends for New Jersey and America,” said Rep. Pascrell, who voted for the new law. “These federal funds will give our state a massive boost to meet the growing mental health and substance abuse challenges plaguing our communities. For many of our friends and family members suffering from mental illness and substance abuse, the pandemic badly exacerbated the challenges they face. The American Rescue Plan is all about lifting up our neighbors. And I want to remind everyone that these funds were passed by the Democratic Congress and signed into law by President Biden. Every single Republican in Congress voted against our state receiving these grants.”

The Mental Health Block Grant Supplement program enables states and territories to provide comprehensive community mental health services and address needs and gaps in existing treatment services for those with serious mental illness.

The Substance Abuse Block Grant Supplement program allows states and territories to plan, implement and evaluate activities to prevent, treat and help more people recover from substance use disorder. This funding will also allow recipients to make investments in existing prevention, treatment and recovery infrastructure, promote support for providers and address unique local needs to deliver substance use disorder services.

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