NJ A4868

Requires the Commissioner of Health to develop and implement an outreach and education strategy to promote mental and behavioral health and reduce stigma associated with mental health conditions and substance use disorders among Hispanic and Latino populations in New Jersey

Strategy must be culturally and linguistically appropriate, addressing diverse needs across subgroups including gender, age, sexual orientation, and ethnicity, while increasing awareness of mental illness symptoms common in these populations

Mandates a focus on evidence-based interventions, community engagement in developing educational materials, and a holistic approach addressing the intersection of behavioral and physical health, including pandemic impacts

Commissioner of Health must submit annual reports to the Governor and Legislature, beginning one year after enactment, on the strategy's effectiveness in improving mental and behavioral health outcomes

Appropriates $1,000,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Health to implement the act, with an effective date of 90 days after enactment