New Jersey Department of Health Adopts New Rules Governing Mobile Integrated Health Programs

TRENTON, NJ - The New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) has adopted new rules establishing comprehensive standards governing the creation, licensure, and operation of Mobile Integrated Health (MIH) programs. These rules are the first of this kind in the state.

The rules implement provisions of P.L. 2022, c. 118, signed into law by Governor Phil Murphy in October 2022, which enacted significant revisions to the New Jersey Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Act. Taking experiences from the COVID-19 response and emerging best practices, the updated Act redesigned the state's Advanced Life Support (ALS) system and authorized MIH programs. Modernizations focused on enabling approved paramedics, hospitals, and mobile intensive care agencies to deliver non-emergency health care services outside of traditional hospital settings, including chronic disease management and preventive care.

"Mobile Integrated Health programs represent a transformative step in how we deliver care in New Jersey. By bringing health services directly to patients where they live, we can close gaps in care, reduce unnecessary hospital visits, and improve health outcomes for our most vulnerable residents," said Acting Health Commissioner Jeff Brown. "These programs strengthen our health care system and reflect our commitment to building healthier, more resilient communities."

The newly adopted rules at N.J.A.C. 8:49 establish clear standards for MIH program operations, including requirements for administrative and operational policies, recordkeeping, event reporting, quality management, personnel, and safety. Additionally, the rules outline NJDOH enforcement authorities and procedures to address violations, including the imposition of monetary penalties and the suspension, revocation, or non-renewal of an MIH license, as well as providing appeal processes.

The rules have been submitted to the Office of Administrative Law and are effective immediately.

Mobile Integrated Health programs aim to improve access to care and enhance patient outcomes by delivering services directly in patients' homes or community settings, generating meaningful economic benefits for the state. By integrating emergency medical services with preventive and primary care, MIH programs support chronic disease management, advance public health initiatives, and address social determinants of health.

Other key benefits include:

• Decreasing avoidable emergency department visits and hospital readmissions.

• Easing strain on emergency departments, improving resource allocation, and reducing hospital bed wait times.

• Reducing unnecessary hospital utilization, which lowers health care costs for providers, insurers, and patients.

• Providing mental and behavioral health services, medication management, and post-hospital discharge follow-up care.

• Addressing social isolation among vulnerable populations.

• Creating new employment opportunities for paramedics, nurses, and other health professionals.

• Fostering partnerships among hospitals, community organizations, and local health agencies, which stimulates economic activity statewide.

• Strengthening confidence in regional health care systems and improving overall community health.

This development under the NJ EMS Act builds on New Jersey's history of innovation in emergency medical care. In June 2019, New Jersey led the nation by authorizing paramedics to use buprenorphine to treat acute withdrawal symptoms after patients were revived from opioid overdoses with naloxone. In February 2025, NJDOH expanded paramedics' authority to treat individuals with opioid use disorder by broadening the scope of buprenorphine administration in the field.