FY2024 Annual Report

9 NJAMHAA Annual Report FY 2024 Legislative, Policy and Regulatory Advocacy In FY2024, NJAMHAA has also had many policy wins that support the life-saving work of its members, expand access to care and improve outcomes for those served. Among the legislative, policy and regulatory successes NJAMHAA realized this fiscal year are: As was mentioned, of great impact to NJAMHAA members is the initial distribution of opioid settlement funds based on the recommendations of the Opioid Recovery and Remediation Advisory Council of which NJAMHAA President and CEO Debra L. Wentz, PhD, is a member by appointment of the Governor along with two other NJAMHAA members Robert Detore, MPA, Chief Executive Officer, Turning Point, Inc., and Morgan Thompson, MSW, Chief Executive Officer, Prevention Links. The $95 million was invested in the following initiatives (all over three years, unless otherwise noted): I n early May, the Public Social Work Board voted to allow LSWs whose supervision began between March 13, 2020 and April 1, 2024 to have 100% virtual supervision. E xtension of parity reimbursement for telehealth services, which had been set to expire on December 31, 2023 E xtension of permission for Community Support Services (CSS) programs to bill for telehealth services $ 24 million over two years to expand harm reduction and drug user health services at authorized Harm Reduction Centers, and to deploy harm reduction supplies through partner organizations in high-need areas $ 17.505 million to expand operations at New Jersey’s 22 Community Peer Recovery Centers $ 9.025 million to replace and add Medication Assisted Treatment mobile units $ 19.5 million for statewide expansion of the New Jersey Department of Health’s Medication for Addiction Treatment & Electronic Referrals (MATTERS NJ) platform $17 million for housing, including emergency shelter beds, short-term rental subsidies, transitional housing beds and permanent housing assistance $ 8.1 million to expand the New Jersey Keeping Families Together program L aw replacing statutory terms regarding alcohol and substance use, alcoholism, addiction, drug addict, and similar terms with the terms “substance use disorder” and “person with substance use disorder” E stablishment of a mental health court pilot program in three vicinages with one each in the northern, central and southern regions Crisis Professionals Day Resolution signed into law (legislation requested by NJAMHAA) “ Having an entity such as NJAMHAA that informs the state about issues that are going on statewide so our entire system of care can be improved is really needed and NJAMHAA does a terrific job with that. My involvement with NJAMHAA has been for the past ten years. There are numerous workgroups and opportunities to meet with leaders of other agencies throughout the State of New Jersey. How wonderful the support NJAMHAA provides cannot be overstated. ” Jacques Hryshko, LPC, ACS FY2024 NJAMHAA Board Chair and President and CEO, Family Connections