FY2024 Annual Report

21 NJAMHAA Annual Report FY 2024 Amy Harpster, MA, Director Community Support Services and PACT Bridgeway Rehabilitation Services, Inc. Pauline Simms, MSoc.Sc Chief Operating Officer for Mental Health Programs SERV Behavioral Health System, Inc. PROGRAMS FOR ASSERTIVE COMMUNITY TREATMENT PRACTICE GROUP RESIDENTIAL PROVIDERS PRACTICE GROUP Co-Chairs: Kim Class, LPC, LCADC, ACS, CCTP, NCC, DRCC Director of PACT and Assistant Director of Adult Residential and Community Outreach Bright Harbor Healthcare Co-Chairs: Dominic Barone, LSW, LCADC, CCS, CPRS Vice President, Operations Pyramid Healthcare, Inc. The Programs for Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) Practice Group met with DMHAS staff about updating regulations, to which the state representatives were very receptive. The group is confident about a majority of the recommended changes being made, based on follow-up questions they received from DMHAS’ legal team. The Department of Health agreed with the PACT providers that there are too many level-one violations in the regulations. This presents an additional positive sign for regulatory changes being made in the near future. The Residential Providers Practice Group met with Steve Tunney, Director, Behavioral Health, Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services, to address questions and challenges relating to Medicaid eligibility redeterminations and with Lily Veksler, LCSW, Office of the Medical Director, Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services, to address challenges with the New Jersey Substance Abuse Monitoring System, including flow of data between it and the Medicaid system. This group is continuing discussions on the difficulty accessing community-based prescribers of psychiatric medication; insurance coverage for telehealth and other services, as well as other areas of concern; and fiscal challenges affecting group homes and other types of residential facilities.