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Senate committee advances telecom fee to fund 988 crisis system after hours of testimony
Summary
The Senate Health Committee voted to release S3013, a bill that would add a small monthly telecommunications surcharge to fund New Jersey's 988 crisis continuum. Advocates urged the fee to sustain mobile crisis teams and crisis receiving centers; business groups opposed the regressive charge and urged use of general revenues.
Trenton ' The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee on Feb. 16 advanced S3013, a bill to create a telecommunications surcharge intended to fund New Jersey's 988 behavioral health crisis continuum, after several hours of testimony from family members, crisis advocates and business groups.
Matt Camarda, advocacy and public policy director for the National Alliance on Mental Illness in New Jersey, told the committee demand for 988 has risen sharply: "In 2022, the number of calls that came in just calls was 53,000. And in 2025, the number of calls that came in was over a 104,000. So almost double." He urged legislators to support a dedicated funding stream for call, response and…
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