FY2025-Annual-Report

NJAMHAA Annual Report FY 2025 15 NJAMHAA Maximizes Use of Traditional and Social Media to Bolster its Advocacy An additional important part of NJAMHAA’s advocacy is media communications. Press releases, opinion-editorial pieces (op-eds) and letters to editors aim to educate government leaders and the general public and reinforce our call to policymakers and legislators for increased funding and more supportive regulations and laws. NJAMHAA continues to have significant visibility and impact through media outlets. In fact, over the past five years alone, NJAMHAA was quoted in 61 articles from interviews and based on press releases sent; had 21 op-eds and letters to the editor published; and was interviewed by television and radio stations on 10 occasions. A particularly significant recent media hit NJAMHAA gained in FY2025 was Debra Wentz, PhD, President and CEO of NJAMHAA, being interviewed by a contributing writer for Rolling Stone magazine. She was recognized as a visionary leader and her recommendations for fellow mental health professionals were shared. The author also featured Dr. Wentz on medium.com in “Champions of Change: The Mental Health Leaders Who Are Shaping Tomorrow”, which shared profound thoughts from Dr. Wentz, including: “You don’t feed someone who’s starving for just one day. Mental health education must be ongoing to truly shift mindsets”; and “We can’t serve people if there’s no one to staff the clinics. This isn’t just a workforce issue—it’s a funding issue, a stigma issue, a policy issue. And we have to fix all of it.” This article also stated that Dr. Wentz’s “standout initiative is the Leadership Academy for Behavioral Healthcare Professionals—a program that develops emerging leaders in mental health through high-level coaching and mentorship.” See details on this New Jersey Mental Health Institute (NJMHI) program on page 39. Debra L. Wentz, PhD, was highlighted on the New Jersey Business and Industry Association’s website for receiving the 2025 ELLA Champion of Mental Health Excellence Award in March 2025 from the Hudson County Latin American Chamber of Commerce (HCLACC). In addition to serving as President and CEO of NJAMHAA, Dr. Wentz is Executive Director of the New Jersey Mental Health Institute and Chair of the New Jersey Governor’s Council on Mental Health Stigma. Pictured here is Dr. Wentz with Heidi Castrillon, President and CEO of the HCLACC and a member of the New Jersey Governor’s Council on Mental Health Stigma.