NJAMHAA 75th Anniversary

30 75 th Anniversary 2004 • NJBIZ Women of Influence – Debra Wentz • APEX Awards for Publication Excellence – Feature Writing – The Art of Lobbying – Debra Wentz • APEX Awards for Publication Excellence – Most Improved Brochure, Manuals & Reports – Stemming the Stigma of Mental Illness – Identity Piece Redesign – Debra Wentz • APEX Awards for Publication Excellence – Public Relations & Information Campaigns – Family Photo Album Campaign – Debra Wentz • NAMI NEW JERSEY Freedom from Stigma Award – The New Jersey Mental Health Institute – Debra Wentz • Associations Advance America Honor Roll – Family Photo Advocacy Tool Kit 2003 • Coalition of Mental Health Consumer Organizations (COMHCO) Recognition Award – Debra Wentz • APEX Grand Award – Special Publications – Family Photo Advocacy Tool Kit • Senate Proclamation, May 19, 2003 – Presented to NJAMHAA, Mental Health Association in New Jersey and Coalition of Mental Health Consumer Organizations in Recognition of Mental Health Month • National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare, Public Policy Award – Debra Wentz NJAMHAA Awards (continued) FY2015 NJAMHAA advocated for the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Act of 2015 (H.R.731). It was incorporated into H.R. 34, the 21st Century Cures Act, which was signed into law by President Barack Obama on December 13, 2016. NJAMHAA also persevered in advocacy on other bills that had not yet been signed into law at the time: the elimination of Institutions for Mental Disease (IMD) exclusion treatment in place of incarceration for non-violent offenders and more resources to prevent suicide; the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2015 (CARA - H.R.953/S.524); Accelerating Biomedical Research Act (S.318/H.R.531); and Mental Health in Schools Act of 2015 (H.R.1211). “ What I found most impressive about NJAMHAA is its tenacity, legislative advocacy and very broad scope. Members certainly get a bang for their buck. There’s no question that membership is a worthy investment. ” Robert N. Davison, MA, LPC NJAMHAA Board Member Chief Executive Officer, Mental Health Association FY2016 October 2015: During the National Council for Behavioral Health’s Hill Day, NJAMHAA emphasized the need for enforcement and federal oversight of implementation of the parity law and for more comprehensive legislation to overcome the restrictions of the IMD exclusion. More progress with CCBHCs was achieved. In October 2015, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded New Jersey a $1 million planning grant to develop CCBHCs. NJAMHAA’s Senior Health Policy Analyst Mary Abrams participated on New Jersey’s CCBHC Steering Committee, along with several members who later became part of the demonstration project. President George W. Bush established the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health. 2002 New bills were introduced to require insurance companies to establish full parity between behavioral and general health coverage.