NJAMHAA-70th-anniversary-publication

37 “It’s always on NJAMHAA’s radar to advocate for and work with the State Treasury and other departments for providers to have flexibility within contract ceilings,” stated Susan Loughery, current NJAMHAA Board Chair. “We spent a significant amount of time interacting with the state on improving the reimbursement sys- tem. It was great dialogue. NJAMHAA is an enormous conduit, so when the dialogue is re-created with new leaders, it has context,” said Don Parker, LCSW, a for- mer NJAMHAA Board Chair and currently President of Hackensack Meridian Carrier Clinic and President of Hackensack Meridian Health Behavioral Health Care Transformation Services/Integrative Medicine. “In the most recent past, we made enormous progress in how we are paid for our work and people recognizing the importance of our work,” he added. John Monahan, former NJAMHAA Board Chair, shared that in the 1980s, NJAMHAA launched a five-year salary upgrade project in partnership with the Mental Health Association in New Jersey. They worked with Rodney Frelinghuysen, who at the time was State As- semblyman and served on the Appropriations Com- mittee. “Our advocacy resulted in an allocation of $11 million over four years to set salaries for BA-level staff at the same level as teachers’ salaries. BA-level staff saw a 40% to 50% salary increase because of this proj- ect, and the turnover problem disappeared during the years of the project,” he explained. After several years of advocacy for a cost of living adjustment (COLA), a 3% COLA was implemented in January 2008. According to Bill Waldman, former Department of Human Services (DHS) Commissioner, this achievement was made possible because “NJAMHAA has a sophisticated style of advocacy with legislators and they educated legislators on the need for the COLA.” Additional highlights of NJAMHAA’s effective budget advocacy included increased funding for mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) services in the FY2017 State Budget. Governor Christie announced the allocation of $127 million of new funding from state and federal sources to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates, expanded the state’s Recovery Coach Program, dedi- cated a facility for treating inmates with SUD, funded three regional Medicaid Accountable Care Organi- zations, and increased funding for DHS’ Olmstead initiatives and the Children’s System of Care. In FY2019, Governor Christie and the State Legis- lature dedicated $100 million to fight the opioid crisis and significantly increased the rates for Care Management Organizations, mobile response and stabilization services, intensive in-home behavioral assistance services, charity care, intake assessments and psychiatric evaluations in adult outpatient men- tal health programs, all of which occurred as a result of advocacy led by NJAMHAA and echoed by other stakeholders. In July 2021, the state increased reimbursement for long-term residential SUD treatment, despite fiscal challenges. “The long-term rate increase is a primary example of NJAMHAA’s ability to articulate a crucial pressure on providers, collect relevant data and present the case to the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services. Adding to the capacity for quali- ty services is the primary goal of all concerned,” said Mary Gay Abbott-Young, current NJAMHAA Board member. “Every year, NJAMHAA’s budget advocacy for mental health and substance use services keeps our system funded and vibrant.” – Lou Schwarcz, Current Board Member “We made enormous progress in people recognizing the importance of our work.” - Don Parker, Former NJAMHAA Board Chair