Since ending his bid for the White House, Christie has made expanding access to treatment in New Jersey a priority.
TRENTON -- Gov. Chris Christie visited Catholic Charities of Trenton Thursday to announce the expansion of state funding for seven new Behavioral Health Homes, which provide integrated treatment and supportive housing to those recovering from mental health and addiction disorders.
Christie said he wanted patients there to "understand how much I value them and their life and their hard work in getting their lives in order."
Christie has directed the state to make a $127 million investment into increasing reimbursement to substance abuse treatment providers: $53 million for mental health services and $74 million towards substance abuse services.
At the center of the effort is the "behavioral health home model," a healthcare "hub," that treats physical health, mental health and addiction disorders with an integrated approach.
Christie touts drop in drug crime recidivism
Up to 75 percent of people with a serious mental illness also have an addiction, according to studies cited by The Co-Occurring Center for Excellence at the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
The four behavioral health homes currently operated in the state will soon be joined by seven new homes operated by Cape Counseling, Meridian, Jewish Family Services, CPC Behavioral Healthcare, Easter Seals NJ, Helping Hand Behavioral Health and Atlanticare.
The state will also raise reimbursement rates for substance use and mental health treatment for the first time in more than a decade.
Since ending his bid for the White House in February, Christie has made expanding access to treatment in the Garden State a priority.
Last week, he cut the ribbon a new 50-bed residential treatment facility for male clients who are in New Jersey's Drug Court program at Paterson's Straight & Narrow, Inc.. He also recently made available 500 new State Rental Assistance Program (SRAP) vouchers for the chronically homeless.
Claude Brodesser-Akner may be reached at cbrodesser@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ClaudeBrodesser. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.