Care Plus NJ, Inc. was established as Mid-Bergen Community Mental Health Center, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation, on January 5, 1978, to provide "high quality, low cost" mental health services. Its evolution into Northern New Jersey’s leading mental health service agency is briefly described in the following timeline:

1978-1987

Mid-Bergen Community Mental Health Center, Inc., became a National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) grantee and built upon its vision for providing individualized mental health services. The organization later developed into a New Jersey Division of Mental Health Services contract agency and adopted the name of Mid-Bergen Center, Inc.

1988-1997

In 1988, the organization developed and initiated the Psychiatric Emergency Screening Program (PESP) for Bergen County. As time progressed, specialized programming was developed for dually diagnosed individuals suffering from substance abuse and emotional problems and, in 1994, in-home services for children and their families were added. 1995 saw the Mid-Bergen Center, Inc.’s Accreditation with Commendation by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), and, in 1997, the organization developed and initiated Integrated Case Management Services (ICMS) to provide intensive case management services on a countywide basis. Nine residential facilities integrated into surrounding communities, staffed up to 24 hours a day to meet client needs, were also put into operation.

1998-Present

A January 1998 merger with Fair Lawn Mental Health Center resulted in the expansion of our program offerings, particularly in the area of services for children, and a new identity as “Care Plus NJ.” Growth in services for adults with persistent and chronic mental illness continued with the development of the Program of Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) in Bergen County. Services for children and youth also grew significantly with the addition of the statewide Adoption House program and Care Plus NJ’s designation as the Children’s Mobile Response and Stabilization System in Bergen County.

Expansion into Essex County occurred in 2002, when the Mental Health Resource Center merged with Care Plus NJ, Inc. Specialized services addressing client trends were also implemented. This included an expanded capacity to meet co-occurring substance abuse needs, medical care that many clients require, and criminal justice expertise for individuals with chronic mental illness.

In early 2004, Care Plus NJ implemented new and enhanced acute care services through the Bergen County Extended Crisis Intervention Services (ECIS) and Advance Practice Nurse services for adults with acute symptoms of mental illness. The Children’s Services Department expanded with two new services; a School-Based Youth Services Program (SBYSP) in Passaic County, and aftercare housing services for the aging Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS) population. Growth continued into 2005 with the addition of the multi-county program, Supportive Assistance to Individuals and Families (SAIF), and a pilot case management program funded for Bergen County welfare recipients.

To the present day, Care Plus NJ, Inc., continues to take the lead in the development of new and innovative programs to meet the complex, changing mental-health needs of the community. For a comprehensive listing and descriptions of all current Care Plus NJ programs and services, please see the Patient Services and Consulting Services sections of this Web site.

For more information about the services and programs offered by Care Plus NJ, please call our headquarters at 201-265-8200 or email us at: staff@careplusnj.org. To schedule an appointment, call 201-986-5000.

Mission, Vision, Values Leadership Team Contact Info / Driving Directions Care Plus Foundation