FY2026 Annual Report

Annual Report FY2026 17 S oon after the July 2025 announcement that New Jersey Statewide Initiative (NJSI) and Substance Use Prevention and Treatment Initiative (SAPTI) funds would no longer be available for new clients, NJAMHAA requested an emergency meeting with leaders of the Department of Human Services and its Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services on behalf of the Addictions Practice Group. This meeting was held at the end of July and due to compelling advocacy, the leaders were open to exploring long-term solutions and seriously considering NJAMHAA staff and members’ recommendations. To keep members informed about evidence-based practices and innovative programs, and to facilitate potential partnerships, the Addictions Practice Group hosted guest presenters at several meetings. One was Michele Schreffler-Perez, Director of the New Jersey State Police’s Operation Recovery Initiative Support & Engagement, which aims to proactively prevent harm from drug use by having law enforcement personnel support public health. Another presentation was Solutions, not Silos to Improve Recovery Capital , by Mike Santillo, LCADC, Chief Operating Officer, Prevention Links, and Cindymarie Dix, Co-Chair of the New Jersey Coalition for Addiction Recovery Support. Several members of the Addictions and Adult Mental Health Practice Groups have been meeting both separately and together to develop strategies to address various challenges related to licensing and inspections and exploring these potential solutions during quarterly Licensing Workgroup meetings with the Department of Health’s (DOH’s) Licensing and Certificate of Need staff. These meetings resulted in streamlined processes for new and renewed licenses and resolution of deficiencies identified during provider organization inspections. The NJAMHAA-only workgroups and meetings with DOH will continue. CO-CHAIRS: Frank Ghinassi, PhD, ABPP NJAMHAA Board Vice Chair President and CEO, Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care Senior Vice President, Behavioral Health and Addictions Service Line RWJBarnabas Health F or the Adult Mental Health Practice Group, the creation of a licensing workgroup was incited by DOH’s announcement of a new requirement for 51% of treatment to be provided in person, though this is not an official regulation. NJAMHAA advocated against this rule during a Licensing Workgroup meeting with DOH, stating that it takes away clients’ right to choose telehealth and conflicts with temporary rule modifications that include telehealth in the definition of face-to-face service. Within two months, DOH announced that the 51% mandate is no longer required. The Adult Mental Health Practice Group’s Licensing Workgroup, which is chaired by Kimberly Veith, MBA, MSW, LCSW, LCADC, Chief Executive Officer of Bright Harbor Healthcare, is continuing to develop strategies for addressing priority issues: the need to educate more state staff about Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics and integrated care; the need for DOH surveyors to have more training to ensure consistency among inspectors; and improvements for the appeals process, as well as the timely processing of license applications. This group’s longer-term goals are to develop more efficient processes for licensing providers’ satellite locations, and conducting reviews for new licenses and approving waivers; and to develop recommendations for updating regulations and making them less burdensome. Kathy White-Thomas, MS NJAMHAA Board Member President and CEO Volunteers of America - Delaware Valley Regina Widdows, MA NJAMHAA Board Member President and CEO SERV Behavioral Health System, Inc. Addictions Practice Group Adult Mental Health Practice Group CHAIR: Howard L. Haughton NJAMHAA Board Member CEO Eva’s Village VICE-CHAIR: Eman Gibson, MBA, LCSW, LCADC Chief Clinical Officer Integrity House