Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation creating a framework for a new Public Health Institute (PHI), a nonprofit entity intended to enhance coordination, innovation, and equity in health outcomes across the state.
The legislation authorizes the Department of Health to designate a qualified nonprofit organization as the state’s PHI. Once established, the institute will play a central role in driving health policy, fostering partnerships across sectors, and deploying data-driven public health strategies designed to reduce disparities and improve services for all New Jersey residents.
The new law assigns the Health Commissioner the task of selecting a nonprofit that meets rigorous criteria, including national recognition by the National Network of Public Health Institutes and proven capacity to operate at the local, county, and state levels. The selected organization will be required to enter into a formal agreement with the Department of Health and submit detailed operational plans and progress reports.
The creation of a PHI marks a major policy shift, formalizing a long-anticipated public-private partnership that health officials and advocates have championed for over three decades. The COVID-19 pandemic, which exposed weaknesses in the state’s ability to coordinate and respond to emerging public health threats, accelerated interest in developing a central institution capable of unifying efforts across agencies and communities.
The initiative is grounded in recent findings, including New Jersey’s independent COVID-19 after-action report and the 2022 “Seizing the Moment” report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Both reports underscored the need for a more agile and inclusive public health system, with sustained investment in health equity and stronger partnerships between governmental and non-governmental organizations.
Once operational, the institute will be tasked with a broad mandate. Among its responsibilities will be facilitating cross-sector partnerships, supporting administrative and fiscal functions for health agencies, launching programs to combat racial disparities in care, coordinating community health initiatives, and funding research and workforce development efforts. The PHI will also have the authority to procure medical supplies and engage in charitable health-related activities.
The legislation was sponsored by Senators Joseph Vitale and Renee Burgess and Assemblywomen Shanique Speight and Verlina Reynolds-Jackson. Lawmakers emphasized the institute’s potential to address longstanding inequities and strengthen New Jersey’s preparedness for future health emergencies.
New Jersey joins 51 other jurisdictions that have established similar institutes nationwide. Supporters argue that formalizing the PHI will allow the state to draw on national best practices while tailoring solutions to the state’s unique demographic and geographic challenges.
The Murphy administration’s focus on building a more equitable and coordinated public health system reflects a broader trend among states seeking to apply lessons learned from the pandemic to long-term planning and innovation. Officials said the new institute would also serve as a central hub for promoting culturally responsive, evidence-based strategies to meet the needs of New Jersey’s diverse communities.
With the legislation now signed into law, the Department of Health is expected to begin the selection process for the designated nonprofit in the coming months. Once named, the Public Health Institute will be charged with building the partnerships and infrastructure necessary to realize the legislation’s ambitious goals.