NJAMHAA News Spring 2021

spring 2021 12 S oon after Debra L. Wentz, PhD, started as NJAMHAA’s President and CEO, she established councils of business partners to offer greater value to providers and the individuals they serve. “I looked at people serving people and everyone having access to care, so I never made a distinction between for-profit and nonprofit. Mental illness and substance use touch everyone, so I created councils with industries to leverage partnerships for the benefit of children and adults with behavioral healthcare needs to ensure they have access to care,” Dr. Wentz said. “NJAMHAA has always been in a leadership role and formed councils to bring participants together. Having exposure with these companies serves a great benefit for the membership,” said Jim Lape, MA, MBA, FACHE, a former NJAMHAA Board Chair and former Vice President of Behavioral Health and Senior Services at Trinitas Regional Medical Center. Managed Care Council Evolved into the IntegratedHealthcare Council According to Steve Ramsland, EdD, MA, when he was NJAMHAA’s Board President and Chief Executive Officer of SERV Behavioral Health System, the greatest achievement was getting NJAMHAA members ready for managed care, even though it was not implemented back then. “Getting members ready for managed care improved practice and increased members’ sophistication,” he said. Since managed care did not become the service model at the time, Dr. Wentz transitioned the Managed Care Council into the Integrated Healthcare Council, which continues to have health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and specialty managed care companies as members, as well as other businesses, including diagnostic testing, health technology, insurance and accounting companies. Representatives from these businesses exhibit at NJAMHAA’s conferences and give educational presentations for members. To continue building on relationships between HMOs and service providers, Dr. Wentz established the HMO Council in 2011. This Council’s goal is to ensure continuity of medically necessary care for beneficiaries with chronic conditions, and a robust network of providers and comprehensive formularies in all categories and classes. A significant number of member providers participate in the HMO Council meetings, which foster productive discussions to address challenges providers experience, for example, when the HMOs began to cover more behavioral health services for special populations. The HMO Council also hosts many guest presentations on topics, which generate much interest among providers and HMO representatives. These topics include opioid management programs, other substance use treatment programs and pharmacotherapies, smoking cessation programs, behavioral health management for special populations, and behavioral health telemedicine. “I don’t know of any other venue where providers are talking to HMOs, as well as to the state, as well as to each other,” said Linda Gochfeld, MD, a former NJAMHAA Board Member, former Medical Director for SERV Behavioral Health System and currently an individual member, as she continues to run a small private psychiatry practice and benefits from networking with NJAMHAAmembers. “The cooperation, collaboration and mutual support among the HMO Council members have allowed for ongoing strengthening of programs and efforts specifically designed to enhance the quality of care provided to the mental health, substance abuse and developmental disabilities communities throughout New Jersey,” said Sam Currie, RPh, HMO Council Chair and Director of Pharmacy Services at Horizon NJ Health. Winter These partnerships bring solutions to the table on addressing mental health disparity among our community. - Becky Wong, PharmD, MBA, New Jersey Senior Medical Science Liaison at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development and Commercialization, Inc. Councils Broaden Partnerships to