Assemblywoman Mila Jasey (D-Essex, Morris) issued the following statement in response to the Governor’s decision to extend the School Based Youth Services Program (SBYSP) through the 2024 school year:
“The School Based Youth Services Program provides direct in-school mental health and social/emotional services meeting the needs of tens of thousands of NJ students in 86 schools throughout the state, the vast majority of whom are significantly underserved and without access to quality services available to our more affluent students.
“I commend the concerted, unrelenting efforts of the Legislative Black and Latino Caucuses for their unwavering commitment to preventing the elimination of this long-standing, successful program. I applaud Governor Murphy’s pledge to continue funding the SBYSP through 2024 so that we may continue to reach students in places where the disparity in access to resources is the most profound.”
Assemblywoman Jasey has championed efforts to preserve the SBYSP, convening and co-chairing a Joint Committee on the Public Schools hearing about the program in October in addition to introducing legislation to ensure students in New Jersey continue to have access to crucial resources and services.