NJAMHAA 75th Anniversary

Congress imposed a moratorium on proposed regulations from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that would have limited or eliminated federal funds to the state for support services essential to adults with mental illnesses and children with serious behavioral and emotional disorders. These included targeted case management, mental health rehabilitative services, graduate medical education and hospital outpatient clinic services. The Obama Administration permanently halted implementation of these regulations. FY2010 Advocacy that took place over more than a decade paid off with the enactment of the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008. This law was especially important because it represented the federal government’s first recognition of mental illnesses and substance use disorders as real illnesses that require and deserve equal treatment as physical health conditions. FY2011 FY2012 FY2014 Repeal of the Medicaid Certification Requirement – Advocacy with Medicaid led to the Division’s negotiations with CMS so that providers are no longer required to obtain signatures from clients, parents or guardians before billing can be submitted. As a result, providers can dedicate more of their limited staff, time and fiscal resources to delivering services and more promptly receive reimbursement for these services. NJAMHAA advocated for the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) model that was conceptualized by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. The Excellence in Mental Health Act (S.264) created a CCBHC demonstration program for eight states and was enacted as part of the Protecting Access to Medicare Act. Commemorative Journal 29 • Excellence in Grassroots Advocacy Award from the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare – Debra Wentz • Volvo for Life Awards Semi-Finalist – Debra Wentz • ASAE – Award of Excellence for the Tsunami Mental Health Relief Project – Debra Wentz • ASAE – Honor Roll of Depression Awareness for Hispanics 2005 • Aesculapius Awards – Certificate of Merit for Health Communications – World Wide Web Site • APEX Awards for Publication Excellence – Feature Writing – A David and Goliath Story of Mental Health Advocacy – Debra Wentz • APEX Awards for Publication Excellence – PowerPoint Presentations – Singing the Blues: Increase Visibility to Accomplish Public Policy Goals – Debra Wentz • APEX Awards for Publication Excellence – One-of-a-Kind Print Publications – Comprehensive Literature Review and Analysis of Hispanic Mental Health Issues • APEX Awards for Publication Excellence – Special Purpose Brochures, Manuals & Reports – Salud Mental: Apprender Los Hechos • National Council of Jewish Women Middlesex County Section – Women Who Dare to Make A Difference Calendar – Debra Wentz NJAMHAA Awards (continued) President Bill Clinton required parity coverage for mental illness treatment in the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program. 1999 2001 New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman signed into a law a bill for parity for treatment of serious biologically based mental illnesses. Autism was included in the list of illnesses to be covered. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy became another widely accepted modality for mental health treatment.