New Jersey now allows all income-eligible children – regardless of immigration status – to enroll in the state’s health insurance program.

Gov. Phil Murphy announced the expansion of the state’s Cover All Kids initiative as part of his budget plan last year, setting aside $11 million to provide health care to about 16,000 children. Since Jan. 1, anyone younger than 19 can apply for NJ FamilyCare, the state’s publicly funded health insurance program that includes Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program known as CHIP.

“This is huge,” said Surelis De Lima, a family support coordinator with Accompany Now, which works with unaccompanied minors as part of the Reformed Church of Highland Park Affordable Housing Corporation. “This is going to have such a positive impact on families and how they can navigate the system.”