WNET / NJ Spotlight News
As our name implies, The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey is a funder of organizations that provide individuals and families with quality healthcare. But given the importance of the health sector on society and the intersection of public policy and health, HFNJ has long been cognizant of the need to support accurate. insightful, and timely information about the healthcare sector in New Jersey. Thus, the Foundation has supported high-quality, nonpartisan local journalism to ensure that policymakers and the public remain informed about issues of importance in healthcare.
Following this practice, from 2022 to 2025, HFNJ provided WNET/NJ Spotlight News three grants totaling $200,000 to establish and sustain a new mental health reporting beat. This innovative beat is the first and only journalism position in the state dedicated to covering the ongoing mental health crisis; providing critical information for policymakers and the public that may otherwise not receive coverage. The beat is led by reporter Bobby Brier, who receives guidance from NJ Spotlight News’ veteran editors, and content support from their multi-media production team.
Brier has reported tirelessly on the growing mental health crisis, producing 90 stories across various media during the second year of HFNJ’s grant support alone. His work has multiple awards during his time at NJ Spotlight News, and his articles and multimedia appearances have been among its best-performing pieces. Brier’s pieces appear in all platforms utilized by WNET: the NJ Spotlight News website and e-newsletter, public television, and social media including X and Youtube. Articles featured on NJ Spotlight News are also often shared on other partner content websites, including Chalkbeat.com and NJ.com.
Brier’s reporting has had real-world impact on driving policy changes. For example, a story on gambling prompted the Attorney General of NJ to release new guidelines on curbing problem gambling just days after the article was published. As the state’s only dedicated mental health reporter, Brier was front-and-center in covering the State’s controversial switch to a hub-and-spoke model for school-based mental health care.
In an era when attention spans wane and the media have a tendency to lurch from one hot topic to the next, HFNJ’s support for the mental health beat has helped keep the public’s focus on the growing mental health crisis. While the crisis received much attention in the immediate aftermath of the COVID-19 outbreak, many of the effects witnessed in recent years represent culminations of decades-long trends which continue today. The mental health crisis requires sustained attention, and the high-quality reporting by Brier and the NJ Spotlight News team ensures that it remains part of the public consciousness and conversation in New Jersey.