New Jersey Department of Health Streamlines Licensing of Outpatient Facilities
3/1/2026
On January 17, 2026, the New Jersey Department of Health, in conjunction with the New Jersey Department of Human Services, announced the adoption of significant regulatory reforms establishing a single, integrated licensure framework for outpatient health care facilities. Previously, if a facility offered primary care, mental health, and addiction services in a single location, three separate licenses were required. Additionally, under the old framework, providers were required to maintain separate medical records when a patient received physical and behavioral health services. The following changes will be included once the new rules take effect:
• Single Integrated License: Outpatient facilities may provide primary care, mental health, and substance use disorder services under one consolidated license, replacing the prior requirement for multiple, separate licenses.
• Unified Medical Records and Shared Space: Facilities may maintain integrated patient records and utilize shared clinical space without needing separate entrances or distinct physical areas for different service lines.
• Medications for Opioid Use Disorder: Under the new rules, a Department of Health waiver that increased access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) treatment is made permanent.
• Reproductive Care: The requirement of a staff OB/GYN to provide essential care is removed under the new rules.
The new rules are designed to streamline oversight, reduce administrative burden, and promote integrated delivery of primary care, behavioral health, and addiction services. In particular, outpatient facilities, including Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), outpatient mental health and substance use disorder providers, and licensed primary care clinics will benefit from the new rules. The new rules were to take effect upon publication in the New Jersey Register, but have been put on hold due to Governor Mikie Sherrill’s Executive Order No.7, instituting a 90-day pause on the proposal and adoption of new state agency rules and regulations.
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Lani M. Dornfeld
CHPC, Member
Healthcare Law
973.403.3136 · 973.618.5536 Fax
ldornfeld@bracheichler.com
Related Practices: Healthcare Law
Related Attorney: Lani M. Dornfeld, Edward J. Yun, Cynthia J. Liba
Related Industry: Healthcare
