NJAMHAA News Spring 2021

spring 2021 13 Life Sciences and Innovation Council Brings Pharmaceutical Companies and Service Providers Together Also early in her career at NJAMHAA, Dr. Wentz conceptualized and launched the Pharmaceutical Advisory Council to serve as a noncompetitive forum to share ideas and information among pharmaceutical companies and NJAMHAA’s member provider organizations, and to develop and implement strategies for addressing challenges that affect individuals’ access to all types of treatment. In 2015, NJAMHAA changed the Council’s name to the Life Sciences and Innovation Council (LSIC) to reflect the evolution of the field and the group’s growth with representation of a broader scope of companies and an expanded focus on the life sciences industry, as well as the pharmaceutical and pharmacy fields. “The Life Sciences and Innovation Council brings various areas of knowledge together that normally may not be in the same room. The council encourages cross pollination of ideas to help strengthen organizations,” said LSIC Co-chair Christopher Womack, PhD, Director of Healthcare Policy and Advocacy (NY/NJ) at Johnson & Johnson North American Pharmaceuticals. “My vision for the council is for more people to participate and for it to develop into an incubator for ideas to be developed and implemented. The sharing and cultivating of ideas are important in order to continue to serve an ever-changing community with mental health needs.” NJAMHAA and the LSIC develop events to educate legislators, policymakers and other healthcare stakeholders about the human and fiscal value of ensuring access to treatment and other necessary supports. Topics have included substance use prevention, medication adherence and the cost of untreated substance use disorders and mental illnesses. The LSIC also frequently has guest presenters during its quarterly meetings. Recent topics included telemedicine regulations, Medicare Part D, managing medication complexity, integrated care pharmacotherapy and the implications of the legalization of marijuana. “As a council member, I see the value and how critical it is to have partnerships within the community. These partnerships bring solutions to the table on addressing mental health disparity among our community,” said Becky Wong, PharmD, MBA, New Jersey Senior Medical Science Liaison at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development and Commercialization, Inc. Partnershipwith Otsuka America Pharmaceutical Expanded to Provide Countless, Invaluable Resources More than six years ago, Otsuka created PsychU, which provides a free online resource library focused on mental health. NJAMHAA was one of the first few organizations to join this network, which consists of more than 50 supporting organizations that share the goals of improving the quality of behavioral health services and individuals’ health outcomes. “We appreciate the responsiveness and willingness of NJAMHAA in providing ongoing feedback on the PsychU resources that we develop,” Dr. Wong said. 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. - Sam Currie, RPh, HMO Council Chair and Director of Pharmacy Services, Horizon NJ Health Industries Supporting Service Providers [continued on page 14]