NJAMHAA-70th-anniversary-publication

51 but also added to its offerings many webinars on important topics related to the pandemic, such as personal protective equipment and strategies for reopening and implementing hybrid schedules. Other subjects were associated with societal issues affecting mental health, including the impact of rac- ism and insights into vaccine hesitancy. In addition, NJAMHAA hosted numerous conference calls, some of which gave members opportunities to hear first- hand updates from the Department of Human Ser- vices and the Department of Health. One of the calls provided details on state and federal laws relating to COVID-19 employee benefits and worker protections, and another gave members opportunities to share and learn telehealth best practices. Award Programs In 1996, NJAMHAA launched amember awards programas part of the annual conferences to give member agency leaders and frontline providers opportunities to receive well-deserved recognition for the essential and highly impactful work they do every day. It was renamed the Courage & Compassion awards program in 2006 to tie into that year’s advocacy campaign theme. NJAMHAA also honors state and federal leaders for their contributions to themental healthcare and substance use treatment systemduring these annual events. “The C ourage & Compassion awards reception is a special highlight of the annual conference. I always feel tremendously inspired by the amazing work our members do and this is a wonderful occasion to give accolades that make people feel valued and appreciated,” Dr. Wentz said. A few years later, in 2011, the IT Project introduced the IT Hero awards to highlight excellence in the imple- mentation and use of technology to improve business and/or clinical operations. “This is a great opportunity to recognize individuals who are behind the scenes, doing critical work that provider organizations rely on to deliver services most efficiently and effectively,” said June Noto, Vice President of IT, Human Resources and Administrative Services. Technical Assistance Throughout the year, the IT Project provides technical assistance to establish and enhance networks, im- plement electronic health record systems and much more. Details on the IT Project begin on page 60. Another type of technical assistance is provided by the NJAMHAA staff on an ongoing basis. They readily answer questions about policies, licensing, legisla- tion, regulations, insurance and many other topics. “It’s a whole new aspect of the valuable services NJAMHAA brings to individual providers and their businesses,” current NJAMHAA Board Chair Susan Loughery said. “NJAMHAA brings so much for small and large behavioral healthcare businesses.” For any information NJAMHAA does not have read- ily available, the staff contacts individuals in the appropriate state or federal departments to obtain answers and, when needed, arranges for meetings to address questions and concerns. For example, the Addictions Practice Group recently informed the NJAMHAA staff about potential safety and other issues that could result from a new Medicaid poli- cy about billing for drug screenings and definitive testing. NJAMHAA was able to quickly schedule a meeting with Medicaid staff, who clarified issues and agreed to modify the policy with some of the provid- ers’ recommendations. From Left: Former NJAMHAA Board President Dan Martin, Dr. John Nash, Alicia Nash, NJAMHAA CEO Debra Wentz and Governor James McGreevey at the 2011 Courage and Compassion Awards.