NJAMHAA 75th Anniversary

48 75 th Anniversary IT Project Builds Providers’ Ability to Maximize Quality of Care through Use of Technology F rom its inception, the IT Project services included recommendations for hardware and software; and computer and network setup, maintenance, troubleshooting, repairs and upgrades. As the uses and need for technology have continually expanded, the IT Project evolved to fully support the members. In addition to supporting providers with hardware and software, the IT Project team is a knowledgeable resource for behavioral health billing requirements, quality assurance and performance improvement. The IT Project also facilitated the implementation and expanding use of electronic health records (EHRs) and made it fiscally possible for smaller agencies by establishing collaboratives for initial EHR system setups. “This Project was unique in the nation then and the leadership that the Project has provided and currently offers is still unparalleled within the 50 states,” June Noto, then Vice President of IT, Human Resources and Administrative Services, said in 2021, and it continues to be true today. “ We continually strive to keep up with quickly changing technology and help agencies deal with rapid and continuous transformations. It’s a never-ending cycle with technology. ” Ron Gordon IT Project Director The IT Project has supported providers with collecting, processing, interpreting and integrating data through automation. By sharing technical expertise, surfacing emerging trends and supporting the management of outcome, performance and financial data, the IT Project has explored new applications and evaluated technologies designed to increase efficiency, strengthen revenue, reduce costs and broadly support delivery of high-quality services. They also help providers ensure compliance with confidentiality laws. In 2000, one IT Project staff member took on the challenges of learning website development and creating NJAMHAA’s first website. He also helped members develop their own websites and shared tips in NJAMHAA News and Bits & Bytes . In addition, the IT Project has further proven its value in major events — most notably, Y2K and the COVID pandemic. “The IT Project was on call throughout the night on December 31, 1999, as we were heading toward Y2K. Fortunately, the expected ‘end of the world’ didn’t happen. Fast-forward to 2020 when COVID caused similar anxiety. The IT Project team’s dedication and expertise enabled providers to pivot to virtual operations quickly and to get through the technology challenges so they could focus on resolving the many other difficulties imposed by the pandemic,” said Debra L. Wentz PhD, President and CEO of NJAMHAA.