NJAMHAA 75th Anniversary

Commemorative Journal 45 During the 1980s, NJAMHAA held four conferences every year and had 40 to 50 attendees at each event. Since the mid-1990s, NJAMHAA had been holding multiple conferences in addition to smaller events and webinars, as well as hosting guest speakers at meetings. These presentations have been attracting triple the number of attendees compared to the early days. The number of conferences increased to five or six each year between 1995 and 2001. The two-day spring conference, which remains the association’s largest annual gathering, and the single-day fall conference bring together experts presenting on policy, operational, fiscal, technology and clinical topics. As artificial intelligence (AI) has become a major topic of interest — and in many cases, concern — these conferences, as well as those hosted by NJAMHAA’s IT Project each year, have featured presentations on various aspects of AI in behavioral health care. Presenters have provided clinical and ethical guidelines and reinforced the reality that AI is a tool to enhance clinical care and not designed to replace providers. In fact, it helps reduce workers’ burnout and therefore, staff turnover. The information technology (IT) conferences are designed for everyone, not just IT-specific employees, especially since the use of technology directly in clinical care is expanding. These events also equip attendees with knowledge and tools to strengthen data security, safeguard client confidentiality and protect organizations’ from cyberattacks. Numerous webinars have been developed in response to emerging training needs. Early examples include billing and management programs to support providers’ shift from contract funding to fee- for-service reimbursement. Starting in 2017, workshops were held to prepare providers for working with managed care organizations, leading up to the start of Phase I of the carve-in that began in January 2025. Other webinars were developed to highlight innovative clinical programs and to expand familiarity with new treatment approaches and non-clinical support services. In 2020, due to the pandemic, conferences were held virtually. NJAMHAA made the transition seamlessly and expanded its offerings with additional webinars on pressing, time-sensitive topics. NJAMHAA returned to holding in-person conferences in 2022 and has continued holding webinars as specific training needs arose. Building resiliency and morale, as well as fostering self-care, is another important component of NJAMHAA’s efforts. In addition to sharing resources to help agency leaders retain their staff, which has become increasingly challenging in recent years, NJAMHAA has been hosting awards programs. Conferences Feature High-profile, Inspirational Presenters In addition to securing experts on policy, business strategy and clinical care from the state and across the nation for the conferences, NJAMHAA has had exciting opportunities to host celebrities and other highly visible individuals. “While NJAMHAA really was not seeking star presence, we ended up drawing high-profile people because of our commitment to educate all social, racial and other groups about the effects of mental illness and substance use,” said Debra L. Wentz, PhD, President and CEO of NJAMHAA. “The celebrities’ presence underscored that mental illnesses and substance use disorders affect everyone, regardless of fame and fortune.” In 1997, Dr. Wentz was pleasantly surprised to receive a voicemail directly from actor Rod Steiger (O n the Waterfront , Dr. Zhivago ), accepting NJAMHAA’s invitation to appear at the May 1998 conference. “He did an amazing re-enactment of when he was depressed, demonstrating it as waves pulling him into the ocean. He was a powerful actor and more importantly, a powerful force in breaking down stereotypes about people with mental illnesses,” Dr. Wentz said.