New Jersey Teen Mental Health Statistics 

In a recent report by Soliant, New Jersey teen ranked as one of the states with the best mental health rate and facilities. Is the same true when it comes to teen mental health in the state? This post compiles important statistics on the topic.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• According to a Rutgers report published in June 2023, nearly 40% of youth in New Jersey fall short in all key aspects of socioemotional development (termed “flourishing”). Hispanic children are twice as likely as White children to demonstrate less flourishing.
  
• Data from 2020’s Mental Health Client-Level Data (MHC-LD) reveals that in psychiatric facilities, 78% of youth struggle with serious emotional disturbances. Among them, female patients are more likely to experience trauma, anxiety, or depressive disorders.

• As per the New Jersey Hospital Association (NJHA), hospitalizations for anxiety among 12- to 17-year-olds surged by 54% between 2019 and 2021.
• Nearly 47% of education officials surveyed by the New Jersey Schools Board Association (NJSBA) reported students were generally more anxious and depressed in 2021. 

New Jersey Teen Mental Health Statistics by Condition

Anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, behavioral disturbances, and substance addiction are important teen mental health issues. Here are a few statistics related to these conditions:

Anxiety

• As per the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) 2020-2021, about 8% of children were dealing with anxiety issues. An additional 3% faced such struggles in the past.
  
• NSCH data indicates that White, non-Hispanic children have the highest prevalence of anxiety (8%), while Black, non-Hispanic children have the lowest (3%). More females had anxiety problems (9%) in comparison to males (8%)
  
• In 2021, the proportion of emergency department visits among 12- to 17-year-olds in New Jersey with a diagnosis of anxiety increased to 49 per 1,000, marking a 36% increase from 2019.

Depression

• According to the New Jersey Middle School Risk and Protective Factors Survey 2021, half of middle school students reported experiencing prolonged periods of sadness. Female students were 60% more likely than males to experience this, and Hispanic students were more susceptible than other ethnic groups. 
  
• According to the NJHA’s report from 2022, the number of teens going to the emergency room for depression rose by about 38% from 2019 to 2021 and hospital stays for depression went up by 25%.

Suicide 

• New Jersey ranks as the second state with the highest teen suicide rate—with about 5.2 deaths by suicide per 100,000 population.
  
• NJHA Center for Health Analytics, Research, and Transformation (CHART) data reveals that in 2021, the rate of emergency department visits for 12 to 17-year-olds with self-harm diagnoses was approximately 68% higher than in 2019, and inpatient hospitalizations rose by 95% during the same period.

• A study published in JAMA Pediatrics found that in 2020, 5.8% of teens in New Jersey took their own lives, compared to an average annual rate of 4.6% between 2015 and 2019.

Behavioral Issues

• According to recent NSCH survey data, parents reported that 8% of youth currently or previously struggled with behavioral problems, a number that has been steadily increasing since 2018.
  
• The proportion of eating disorder-related hospitalizations was approximately 2.5 times higher in 2021 (50.3 per 1,000) compared to 2019 (19.7 per 1,000).

Marijuana & Tobacco Use  

• As per the NJ Middle School Risk and Protective Factors Survey 2021, tobacco use is linked to mental health issues and worsens them.
  
• NJ Middle School Risk and Protective Factors Survey 2021 reports cigarette use among high schoolers dropped during 2018 and 2019. But vaping increased notably during the same period. 

Alcohol Use

• According to the NJ Middle School Risk and Protective Factors Survey 2021, 10% of middle school students reported drinking alcohol, with 3% involved in binge drinking.
  
• The same survey shows female middle school students consumed alcohol slightly more than male students. However, no significant difference was noticed in alcohol consumption among male and female high school students. 

Teen Mental Health in New Jersey During and After the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic was a significant stressor for teens around the world. Here is how it impacted New Jersey teens:

• According to NJHA’s CHART data, teen mental health in New Jersey worsened during COVID-19. From 2019 to 2021, self-harm-related emergency department visits among 12- to 17-year-olds increased by about 68%, while hospitalizations rose by 95%.
  
• The same report also mentions:

1. The proportion of depression-related visits increased by about 38% from 2019 to 2021, while hospitalizations increased by 25%.
   
2. Eating disorders, though relatively less prevalent, showed the most substantial increase during the pandemic, with nearly double the proportion of emergency visits and a 2.5-fold increase in hospitalizations between 2019 and 2021.

• A 2022 survey by the Warren County Stigma-Free Communities Initiative found that about 20% of students in grades 7-12 experienced prolonged feelings of sadness and hopelessness before the pandemic. After COVID-19, this percentage increased to 37%

Mental Health Treatment Statistics in New Jersey

Mental health treatment statistics in New Jersey include:

• Among individuals in New Jersey receiving mental health care, 72% stated they used telehealth services. Within this subset:

1. 70% believed that the quality of telehealth treatment was either equal to (42%) or better than (28%) that of in-person treatment. 
   
2. 18% viewed the quality of telehealth treatment as worse than in-person alternatives.

• In rural New Jersey, the ratio of student counselors to students is 337 to 1, exceeding the recommended ratio of 250 to 1. Similarly, the ratio of school psychologists to students is 659 to 1. This is higher than the recommended ratio of 500 to 1.
  
• New Jersey faces a severe shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists (CAPs), with only 341 CAPs in the state. In some counties (such as Warren County) the shortage is particularly acute, with zero CAPs available for over 21,000 children.
  
• According to CDC data from 2016-19, an estimated 9.4% of children aged 3-17 in Warren County received an anxiety diagnosis. About 4.4% received a depression diagnosis. This implies that approximately 1,990 children have anxiety and 930 have depression in the county, far exceeding the capacity of the available CAPs.

Frequently Asked Questions 

What Is the Mental Health Rate in New Jersey?

According to recent data, approximately 27.7% of adults in New Jersey report experiencing a mental illness each year. This is 4.6% lower than the national average of 32.3% for adults in the U.S.

Does New Jersey Have Mental Health Courts?

Yes, New Jersey has established mental health courts as part of its justice system. These specialized courts aim to divert individuals with mental health issues away from traditional criminal proceedings and into appropriate treatment programs. 

Does Gambling Affect New Jersey Teens?

Yes, New Jersey gambling addiction statistics reveal that approximately 19% of 18- to 24-year-olds in the state are at high risk for problem gambling.

Data Sources 

1. https://www.nj.gov/education/safety/wellness/mh/docs/NJSPL_YouthMentalHealth.pdf 
2. https://www.njsba.org/news-publications/njsba-special-report-shows-mental-health-programs-are-helping-students-withstand-the-pandemic/
3. https://www.nj.gov/dcf/news/reportsnewsletters/dcfreportsnewsletters/2023-Youth-Suicide-Data-Brief.pdf 
4. https://www.americashealthrankings.org/explore/measures/teen_suicide/NJ
5. https://www.njha.com/pressroom/2022-press-releases/june-15-2022-for-teens-covids-mental-health-toll-continues-data-shows-increase-in-depression-anxiety-self-harm-and-eating-disorders/
6. https://medium.com/centerforcooperativemedia/youth-mental-health-crisis-quietly-continues-in-rural-new-jersey-d9cb2e21db2e 
7. https://www.njha.com/media/698829/mental-health-disorders-among-teens-6-15-22.pdf 
8. https://www.nj.gov/humanservices/dmhas/resources/mental/ 
9. https://www.soliant.com/blog/soliant-report-reveals-the-best-states-for-mental-health/