FY2025-Annual-Report

18 Meeting Challenges Head On “ NJAMHAA plays a vital role in our current landscape, providing indispensable support and resources. Through its practice groups, it offers a wealth of information, fosters connections with like-minded agencies, and strengthens collaboration across the sector. Additionally, NJAMHAA helps us stay aligned with industry standards and best practices while guiding us in areas where additional insight and support are needed. ” Howard L. Haughton CEO Eva’s Village During the Membership Meetings, as well as gatherings of practice groups and councils, participants also contribute significantly to the content and effectiveness of NJAMHAA’s advocacy. Standard agenda topics are key advocacy areas, which include both systemic and population- and program-specific issues that NJAMHAA is working with members and state leaders to address. In addition, members always have opportunities to discuss additional subjects, such as integrated care, co-occurring disorders and information technology, and any specific challenges they encounter. Below are examples of the groups’ initiatives and achievements, as well as informational presentations they hosted this year. CO-CHAIRS: Kendria McWilliams, MBA Chief Executive Officer, Maryville Integrated Care and Chair of the New Jersey Mental Health Institute (NJMHI) Board of Trustees Howard Haughton Chief Executive Officer, Eva’s Village and NJAMHAA Board Member The Addictions Practice Group met with state leaders, including John White, LPC, LCADC, ACS, Behavioral Health Home and SAPTI Program Manager, Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services, to explore opportunities to collaborate to increase treatment of disordered gambling; and Mollie Greene, MA, CADC, then Assistant Commissioner, Children’s System of Care, Department of Children and Families (DCF) and Jeffery Carrick, MPA, Deputy Director for Administration, DCF, along with Valery Bailey, Executive Director, and Alexandra Morales, Direcor of Clinical Services, PerformCare New Jersey, to address the lack of youth referrals for substance use disorder treatment. This group also hosted several educational presentations by fellow members, including: N eed for a Model of Peer Supervision that Would Protect Peers, Providers and Consumers Mike Santillo, LCADC Chief Operating Officer, Prevention Links Cindymarie Dix Chair, New Jersey Coalition for Addiction Recovery Support N ational Alliance for Recovery Residences’ Standards Mike Santillo, LCADC, and Robby Guidotti, CPRS Operations Co-Founder and Director at Recover Revolution G ambling Disorder Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment Luis del Orbe, MPA, CSW Executive Director, Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey, Inc. Addictions Practice Group VICE CHAIR: Eman Gibson, MBA, LCSW, LCADC Chief Clinical Officer, Integrity House