New Jersey has passed a new law aimed at easing the state’s growing behavioral health care crisis, but residents likely won’t see any benefits from it until late 2026.
Driven by a shortage of licensed professionals and a rising demand for mental health and substance use treatment, the law allows social workers in New Jersey to treat clients across state lines without needing separate licenses in each state. The state has joined the Social Work Licensure Compact, a multi-state agreement designed to streamline licensing and improve access to care.
Supporters say the law will grow the mental health workforce, but the system needed to carry out the plan is not yet in place.
Interstate Compact Will Take Time
With New Jersey’s participation, 28 states have now joined the compact. Once fully implemented, it will allow social workers with an active, unrestricted license in one member state to practice in other participating states using a single multistate license.
Dr. Dawn Apgar, a professor at Seton Hall University and former deputy commissioner of the state’s Department of Human Services, said the compact will take about 18 months to set up nationwide. Only after that will New Jersey be able to develop its own application procedures.
Until then, the new law won’t increase access to care. “The earliest people will see the benefit is late 2026,” Apgar said.
Currently, there are 27,803 active licensed social workers in the state. Many could benefit from the compact once it’s in place. But New Jersey continues to suffer from a workforce shortage: 24 behavioral health organizations recently reported 776 open positions for professionals such as social workers, psychiatrists, and addiction counselors, according to the New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies.
Lawmakers Hail a “Breakthrough”
The law will allow social workers licensed at the clinical or master’s level in New Jersey to practice in any compact member state without getting new licenses.
Assembly Majority Leader Louis D. Greenwald (D-Camden), one of the bill’s primary sponsors, called the compact “a breakthrough in improving mental health access.”
“This multistate agreement will expand the pool of qualified professionals and help fill the workforce gap in mental and behavioral health,” Greenwald said.
Senator Vin Gopal (D-Monmouth), another sponsor, emphasized the benefit to college students. The law allows students to continue treatment with trusted providers, even if they leave the state for school or return home during breaks.
“Gaps in care can harm progress and lead people to quit treatment,” Gopal said. “This law helps prevent that.”
Licensing Delays Remain a Problem
A major hurdle to implementing the law is the current dysfunction of the New Jersey Board of Social Work Examiners, which approves licenses. The board is supposed to have 10 members, but currently has only four. Without a full board, processing license applications has slowed.
Apgar, who formerly chaired the board, said the lack of members is a major barrier. All appointments must come from the governor’s office, which declined to comment on pending nominations.
A separate bill now under review would require the Division of Consumer Affairs to hire more staff to process license applications. It would provide $10 million annually for the next three years to support this work and expand telehealth access to social workers.
Compact Offers Flexibility and Oversight
To get a multistate license under the compact, a social worker must hold an active, “unencumbered” license—one that allows unrestricted practice—in their home state.
Once approved, they could work in any other compact member state.
Dr. Tiffany L. Mayers, executive director of the New Jersey chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, said the compact brings the field of social work into the modern era.
“It gives social workers flexibility and helps clients maintain access to care, no matter where they live,” Mayers said.
The Council of State Governments, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense and the Association of Social Work Boards, is helping states set up the compact. A new commission made up of representatives from each member state will manage the compact’s rules and oversee a shared data system.
This database will track disciplinary actions against social workers and allow other states in the compact to take their own action if needed, said Kaitlyn Bison, a policy analyst at the Council’s National Center for Interstate Compacts.
Looking Ahead
New Jersey will soon appoint a delegate to the compact’s commission, which is currently focused on building the shared data system.
While the law is a promising step, Apgar warned that more work is needed to prepare both in-state and out-of-state providers. She emphasized the importance of educating providers about each state’s rules and standards.
“We need to use the time before implementation to ensure everyone involved understands how to deliver safe, effective care across state lines,” Apgar said.
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