As of December 2023, over 168 million people resided in areas lacking sufficient mental health professionals. Although the Affordable Care Act’s mental health parity provisions have expanded coverage for mental health services, challenges such as finding in-network providers and disparities in cost-sharing between primary care and mental health care exacerbate the issue of mental health provider shortages, hindering many from obtaining necessary care. Access to health care necessitates not just financial coverage but also the availability of providers.

New Jersey has a shortage of primary care physicians. According to the American Board of Family Medicine, New Jersey and Connecticut have the lowest concentration of family physicians at about 17 per 100,000 of the population. Low reimbursement rates for primary care are the main driver of primary care physician shortages nationwide.

Data from 2021 reported there were 11% of uninsured residents in Jersey City. In addition, most recent reports from County Health Rankings show Jersey City Health Care Physician per patient ratio was far worse than New Jersey and the U.S. with a ratio of 2,110 to 1 while New Jersey is 1280 to 1 whereas the U.S. had a ratio of 1330 to 1. Furthermore, Mental Health Providers have a patient ratio of 1080 to 1 in Jersey City, which is three times higher than in New Jersey. U.S. Evidence shows delaying primary care comes with consequences and higher instances of disease which leads to increased hospital visits. Preventable Hospital rates were also reported to be significantly higher in Jersey City (3688 days) than in New Jersey (2922) and the U.S. (2681) which ultimately raises the cost of health care. The top 5 causes of death in Jersey City are cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Covid, and accidents.

According to the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, the average annual death rate for Suicide & Self Inflicted injury in Hudson County (2016-2020) was 48 and is rising. The New Jersey State Health Assessment Data States Suicide was the 12th leading cause of death among Americans and 15th among New Jerseyans in 2020. The average annual suicide incidents among New Jersey residents is about 740 and there are about twice as many suicides as homicides in the state. In 2020, CDC. org reported that suicide was the second leading cause of death for ages 10–14 years and 25–34 years and the fourth leading cause for people ages 34–44 years.

American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) have the highest suicide rates of any racial or ethnic group in the United States. Factors such as racism, historical trauma, inequities, and exposure to poverty have contributed to these elevated suicide rates. In contrast, non-Hispanic Whites have significantly lower suicide rates.

Through the creation of an easy-to-use website, mobile app, and active engagement of community partners, the Partnership for a Healthier JC will increase awareness of resources, increase the use of primary care physicians, and improve the integration of mental health services within primary care for residents of Jersey City.