NJAMHAA 75th Anniversary

Commemorative Journal 21 passed in May 2023. They are also exploring solutions for engaging clients in volunteer work at the shelters and providing the required documentation to begin or continue their enrollment in Medicaid. “This is an opportunity for us to build an integrated network that bridges the work of these two systems delivering life-changing service at a reasonable cost,” said Connie Mercer, Executive Director of NJCEH. “Both behavioral health and emergency shelter systems have unending commitment to serve and treat all in need with the most professional staff.” “For decades, NJAMHAA has advocated to bring mental health and substance use services to individuals who need them on- site — ‘meeting them where they are’ — and that certainly includes emergency shelters,” said Debra L. Wentz, PhD, President and CEO of NJAMHAA. “Since so many homeless individuals have behavioral health issues and conversely, those with mental illnesses and substance use disorders may be at risk of becoming homeless if they do not receive the services they require, this is a ‘marriage made in heaven’ to bring these services where they are needed. I have great confidence that through our collaboration with the NJCEH, tremendous strides will be made toward realizing these critical goals.” NJCEH Partnership Expands Homeless Services (continued) NJAMHAA participated in developing New Jersey’s 988 continuum of care bill and advocated to see it signed into law. The 988 crisis response system was launched with significant state funding that was increased in subsequent years. The association secured a conditional veto of a bill (now law, P.L.2021, c.323), which was then modified to ensure a level playing field for community-based providers applying for School Based Youth Services Program contracts. Multiple regulations were amended to indefinitely extend waivers that otherwise would have lapsed when the Public Health Emergency ended. All the temporary regulatory amendments provide substitute definitions for “Face to Face”, “Medication Monitoring”, “Signature”, “Telehealth” and “Telemedicine”. NJAMHAA secured legislation to extend the temporary certification process for Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselors and the Emergency Graduate Licensure program through June 30, 2022, which was extended again through the end of March 2023. NJAMHAA again successfully advocated for a $1 per hour increase in the hourly wage for personal care assistance staff (from $22 to $23 per hour), as well as targeted scholarship stipend programs to increase the workforce pipeline, and expansion of Early Intervention Support Services to all 21 counties. Coalition for Social Action – forerunner of the Mental Health Coalition – a political action group to protect mental health interests at the state and federal levels. Members were NJAMHAA, Mental Health Association in New Jersey, New Jersey Association of Counties, New Jersey mental health administrators and the New Jersey Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association. The “Just Say No” campaign was launched. 1980s FY2022 NJAMHAA secured amendments to S2792/A4223 to ensure Medicaid rates were included in this indexing bill, and to S1522, which called for elimination of the joint protocol for Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs), to allow only psychiatric APNs to sign clinical certificates in the involuntary commitment process; and passage of the bill that permits behavioral health services to be provided in homeless shelters. NJAMHAA’s advocacy also resulted in an extension of parity reimbursement for telehealth services, which had been set to expire on December 31, 2023. NJAMHAA also supported the state’s initiative to have naloxone provided at pharmacies at no cost for anyone aged 14 or older and without requiring identification or other information, which began in January 2023. The FY2023 State Budget included $800,000 for psychiatry residency and child psychiatry fellowship programs to train the medical students from 2023 to 2024, preparing them for beginning their careers in 2025 or 2026. In addition, the Department of Human Services received $4 million to establish three four- bedroom Behavioral Health Stabilization Homes for adults with intellectual/ developmental disabilities and complex behavioral and mental health needs. FY2023