FY2026 Annual Report

16 75 th Anniversary Practice Groups and Councils Provide Valuable Networking, Knowledge and Advocacy Reinforcement N JAMHAA credits much of its impactful advocacy to the expertise and insights members share through their participation in Membership Meetings, practice groups and councils, and advocacy strategies and specific recommendations that the members and staff collaboratively develop. Many of the practice groups and councils have been active for many years, and several others were created more recently as members in different types of roles and programs recognized the value of having forums dedicated to addressing challenges that are particular to them and the individuals they serve. Many of the meetings also feature guest speakers. The Membership Meetings in FY2026 hosted the following: September 2025: Vision for Behavioral Healthcare: Discussion with Dr. Dale Caldwell, Candidate for Lt. Governor, Running Mate of U.S. Representative Mikie Sherrill • G ubernatorial Candidate Jack Ciattarelli, MBA, also met with NJAMHAA on a different day. December 2025: Disruption, Risk & Opportunity: A 2026 Trends Briefing for NJAMHAA , Paul M. Duck, Chief Strategy Officer, OPEN MINDS; and a panel discussion, BMS Foundation-Funded New Jersey Safety Net Innovation Proposal Initiatives , with Janine Gibbons, RN, Associate Director of Technical Assistance, and Ryan Rousseau, Program Manager, Field Building & Resources, both from Camden Coalition; Brandis Childs, LCSW, CCS, Director of Mental Health and Community Programs, Maryville Integrated Care; Michael D’Amico, MSW, LCSW, Vice President, Oaks Integrated Care; Buddy Garfinkle, MSW, Executive Vice President & Chief Program Officer, Bridgeway Behavioral Health Services; and Sandra Rosario, Supervisor of Integrated Case Management Services, Jewish Family Service of Atlantic & Cape May Counties. February 2026: A Vision for Rutgers University School of Social Work: Collaboration with NJAMHAA and other Community Organizations to Address Critical Issues; Intensive Weekend MSW Program , George Leibowitz, PhD, Dean; and The AI Revolution in Behavioral Health , Dr. Michael Arevalo, Director of Clinical Strategy, Core Solutions June 2026: Keynote Presentation, Medicaid and other CMS Programs , Larry Levitt, Executive Vice President for Health Policy, KFF Collectively, the practice groups and councils represent an expansive array of programs and individual professionals. While they all discuss common issues — for example, fiscal and regulatory issues, challenges related to Medicaid managed care and difficulties recruiting and retaining staff — they share their unique experiences and perspectives on these matters. They also address concerns that are specific to their roles and situations, and develop recommendations for advocacy, which the staff present to the Board of Directors and incorporate those issues into NJAMHAA’s ongoing advocacy efforts. The groups also present opportunities to network with and learn from other providers in the field, which foster new and stronger partnerships among members, in addition to the productive collaboration with NJAMHAA’s President and CEO and staff.