Statewide Initiative Expands Access to Support Services for New Jersey Families

Rutgers Health researchers evaluate the reach of Connecting NJ to the state's most vulnerable from pregnancy through early childhood

Targeted enhancements to Connecting NJ, New Jersey's maternal and child health referral system, have led to a sharp increase in families receiving essential support services, according to Rutgers Health researchers.

These findings are described in a new reportfrom the Rutgers School of Public Health, "Tracking the Progress of Connecting NJ: Linking Families to Services."

The report's findings highlight how Connecting NJ, formerly known as Central Intake, links families to a wide range of state, county and local resources, including health insurance, prenatal and pediatric care, home visiting and doula programs, nutrition and food assistance, housing, childcare, breastfeeding support, mental health and legal services, transportation and developmental screenings. These services are available from pregnancy through a child's fifth birthday.

Access to services is key to improving maternal and child health outcomes. The efforts New Jersey has made to improve their referral systems is essential to making real and sustainable impact.

Leslie Kantor

Professor and Chair, Rutgers School of Public Health, Department of Urban-Global Public Health

This analysis is part of a broader evaluation of Nurture NJbeing conducted by the School of Public Health and led by Leslie M. Kantor, a professor and chair of the school's Department of Urban-Global Public Health.

"Access to services is key to improving maternal and child health outcomes," Kantor said. "The efforts New Jersey has made to improve their referral systems is essential to making real and sustainable impact."

Since the launch of the Nurture NJ initiativein 2019, the state has expanded Connecting NJthrough strategic staffing, system enhancements and targeted outreach. This work includes:

• Rebranding the program from Central Intake to Connecting NJ
• The development of a website, a self-referral form
• A central phone number (609-777-14NJ)
• The launch of a statewide awareness campaign

The state also began mandating completion of the Perinatal Risk Assessment formfor Medicaid and Medicaid-eligible patients, which helps identify risk factors during pregnancy and automatically routes individuals to Connecting NJ for follow-up and support services.

Connecting NJ simplifies the program and service referral process by providing a single point-of-entry for families, health care providers, and social service agencies. Local hubs in each county assess needs, connect families to resources, and follow up to ensure successful linkages.

A centralized data system tracks participant information to improve efficiency, prevent duplication and promote equitable resource distribution.

To evaluate the effectiveness of New Jersey's efforts to expand access to Connecting NJ, the Rutgers evaluation team analyzed data collected through the program's dashboard. Their analysis found that:

• Referrals from prenatal health providers increased steadily between 2018 and 2024, with a 20% increase after the launch of an online portal in 2023 that allows providers to electronically initiate referrals.
• Total referrals have increased since 2020, primarily due to growth in prenatal health provider referrals, with additional contributions from community-based agencies and self-referrals.
• Successful connections to services increased fivefold from 2018 to 2024, led by family support and nutrition services, which had the largest number of linkages.
• Referral rates were highest in counties with a greater proportion of residents living in poverty, underscoring the program's reach among economically disadvantaged populations.

According to Rutgers Health researchers, Connecting NJ has proven its value as a centralized referral system, with consistent growth in both referrals and successful service linkages. However, a significant gap remains between referrals and verified linkages.

Through Nurture NJ, we have worked to mobilize our state's resources, putting them in reach for the New Jersey families most in need.

Tammy Murphy

In 2024, the researchers found that Connecting NJ received 43,973 referrals, but 28,324 resulted in verified service linkages and program enrollments. A stronger data infrastructure is needed to examine the gap between referrals and service linkages, the researchers said.

"Our analysis shows that many more people are aware of the programs and services available in New Jersey," said Felix Muchomba, who led the analysis and is an associate professor at the Rutgers School of Social Work. "The key now is ensuring they are fully connected to those resources. Continued monitoring and evaluation are essential to make sure the people who most need support receive it."

To build on the momentum and address the gaps between referrals and verified linkages to services, the Rutgers evaluation team suggests New Jersey should:

• Expand access to high-demand services to meet growing needs.
• Investigate and address barriers to service linkage.
• Target outreach and capacity-building resources in counties with low referral rates and high poverty.
• Increase public awareness of Connecting NJ and promote self-referral.
• Evaluate and scale innovative digital tools, such as the online referral portal for prenatal health providers.
• Strengthen data tracking to monitor individuals' service access, identify gaps in service delivery and evaluate program effectiveness.

"Every family in New Jersey deserves equitable access to the services and care they need to thrive," said New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy. "Through Nurture NJ, we have worked to mobilize our state's resources, putting them in reach for the New Jersey families most in need. Connecting NJ is a powerful extension of our efforts to reinvent the system of supports available to our community members."

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