New Jersey

NJ looks to quell crisis in care by offering student loan relief to health workers

Published

7 months ago

June 22, 2024

Press Room

NJ looks to quell crisis in care by offering student loan relief to health workers

2-minute read

New Jersey is offering up to $50,000 in student loan relief to healthcare and social service professionals.

New Jersey announced $17 million in student loan relief for group home aides and other health care workers, part of an effort to attract and retain staff in fields fraught with turnover and vacancies.

Up to $50,000 in student loan relief is available to health care and social service professionals who commit to one year of service at designated agencies, the state said. Gov. Phil Murphy said the program should improve services for New Jersey residents with medical, mental health, and disability needs.

“This student loan redemption program further bolsters our home and community-based services workforce, and it is key in supporting qualified service providers to bring their skills and expertise to communities across the state,” he said.

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“In addition to alleviating the financial burdens of this workforce, this program also builds the capacity to deliver care in the community for more New Jerseyans,” Murphy said.

The New Jersey departments of Human Services and Children and Families announced the relief, along with the state’s Higher Education Student Assistance Authority.

The program aims to assist a wide range of professionals, including psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurses, and counselors, among others.

Funding comes from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and is part of a $100 million effort by the state to grow a workforce that has faced significant staffing shortages due to low pay and poor benefits.

In addition to the student loan redemption program, the Murphy administration said the money will help establish recruitment, training, and certification programs for direct care staff, as well as more community-based housing options for individuals with disabilities or behavioral health conditions.

“We continue to invest in innovative approaches to strengthen and prioritize independence and person-centered care that will help individuals live in their own homes and remain active in their communities,” Human Services Commissioner Sarah Adelman said in a statement.

“This new student loan redemption program will benefit caregivers who provide vital supports to people with disabilities and with behavioral health needs, as well as older adults living in the community,” she said.

How to apply for NJ loan forgiveness program

The application process for the loan forgiveness program opens on July 1. Selection of recipients will be on a first-come, first-serve basis, with decisions announced by Oct. 1. Applicants must meet such criteria as being employed full-time in a qualifying role, holding the necessary certifications, and not participating in similar loan forgiveness programs.

For more information on how to apply and detailed eligibility requirements, interested candidates can visit the New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority website starting July 1.

“We are proud to offer this new benefit to dedicated workers who support individuals with disabilities and older adults in the community,” said Kaylee McGuire, Deputy Commissioner for Aging and Disability Services. “Creative steps such as a loan redemption program will help attract and retain workers and build a stronger foundation for the future.”

The one-time student loan redemption program provides:

Visit here for applications.

Gene Myers covers disability and mental health for NorthJersey.com and the USA TODAY Network. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: myers@northjersey.comTwitter: @myersgene

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New Jersey

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy sends letter on congestion pricing to President Trump

Published

4 hours ago

January 20, 2025

Press Room

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy sends letter on congestion pricing to President Trump

NEW JERSEY (WABC) — Gov. Phil Murphy said he sent President Donald Trump a letter on congestion pricing Monday to request a reexamination of federal approval on the plan.

“As you begin your second term as President, I welcome any opportunity to work with you and your Administration where we can find common ground,” wrote Governor Murphy. “One area where I believe our priorities align is congestion pricing.”

He went on to call the current congestion pricing plan a “scheme.”

“The current congestion pricing scheme is a disaster for working and middle-class New Jersey commuters and residents who need or want to visit lower Manhattan and now need to pay a big fee on top of the bridge and tunnel tolls they already pay,” continued Governor Murphy. “And, adding insult to injury, New Jersey communities are not being fully compensated for the additional traffic and attendant pollution that will be re-routed to them because of congestion pricing.”

Lawyers for New Jersey told a judge they will file an updated legal challenge to the Federal Highway Administration’s “multiple re-evaluations” of congestion pricing.

The legal move keeps New Jersey’s opposition in federal court to the toll pricing going as Trump takes office.

The state plans to drop its unsuccessful attempts to get a restraining order against New York, denied by both a federal judge in Newark and by an appeals court in Philadelphia.

It will instead continue to file challenges with Judge Leo Gordon in Newark, who largely ruled against attempts to block congestion pricing but seems sympathetic to some of New Jersey’s arguments against it.

“New Jersey intends to seek leave of the Court to file an amended complaint to challenge the Federal Highway Administration’s multiple re-evaluations of the congestion pricing program,” attorney Randy Mastro wrote in court papers. “New Jersey expects to file its application shortly.”

Separately, New Jersey will soon launch a $20 million program to give New York businesses in the central business district grants to allow New Jersey residents to work remotely or at a satellite office in the Garden State.

The state will advertise this new program – dubbed NJ RISE, or New Jersey Re-assigning In State Employees program — with billboards at the major bridges and tunnels.

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Janice Yu has more on the 58 immigrant students in Newark recognized for the book they wrote, “We Were Strangers Once, Too.”

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New Jersey

How cold will it be in New Jersey this week? Frigid temperatures grip Garden State

Published

12 hours ago

January 20, 2025

Press Room

How cold will it be in New Jersey this week? Frigid temperatures grip Garden State

1-minute read

Frigid temperatures have gripped New Jersey and are unlikely to thaw before week’s end, locking in place the first legitimate snowfall of winter and creating icy conditions on the region’s roads.

Temperatures were in the teens across much of the state Monday morning, with wind chills making it feel like just 5 degrees as people awoke to shovel out driveways and clear sidewalks. Most of North Jersey received between 2 and 6 inches of snow.

Winds were about 10 mph and the dewpoint was just 5 degrees, making it very dry and cold, according to the National Weather Service.

Monday’s high temperature is expected to be around 27 degrees, making it one of the warmer days this week. But it gets much colder tonight, with a low around 7 and a wind chill that will make it feel like zero.

Here’s a look at the National Weather Service’s forecast for the next seven days (get out your parka).

Tuesday’s weather

Increasing clouds and cold, with a high near 19. Wind chill values between -5 and 5. West wind 6 to 8 mph. At night, expect it to be mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear, with a low around 6. Wind chill will make it feel like a temperature between zero and 5.

Wednesday’s weather

Sunny and cold, with a high near 19. Northwest wind 5 to 7 mph becoming calm in the afternoon. At night, it will be mostly cloudy, with a low around 9.