Today, First Lady Melania Trump and New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy held a call to discuss child welfare and well-being. The call follows their last interaction during a video-teleconference briefing with our Nation’s governors in May. Carole Johnson, Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Human Services, also participated in the call.

Mrs. Murphy and Commissioner Johnson shared a few of the ways New Jersey has adapted to deliver social services remotely, including the successful expansion of its mental health hotline. The First Lady and Mrs. Murphy engaged in a conversation about the importance of technology in the delivery of remote services, especially for families and children, and the ability of technology to increase access to mental health services.

The two First Ladies also discussed Nurture NJ, a statewide awareness campaign that Mrs. Murphy launched in 2019 to help reduce infant and maternal mortality and morbidity. Mrs. Trump and Mrs. Murphy agreed on the importance of ensuring equity in care and outcomes for all, and discussed the efforts underway to lower the high mortality rate for African-American mothers in New Jersey. Mrs. Trump spoke about her Be Best initiative and its focus on a child’s social, emotional, and physical health and the shared goals of both initiatives.

Mrs. Trump and Mrs. Murphy agreed to stay in touch and continue to find ways to work together as our country continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic.