FY2026 Annual Report

24 75 th Anniversary I n addition to advocating to and collaborating with the New Jersey Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) to improve information technology (IT) related issues that impact delivery of services, the IT Professional Advisory Committee hosted several educational presentations. These included an explanation of how providers can use artificial intelligence (AI) to engage individuals into services by Sarah Ludlow, Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships, and Noor Noush, Senior Content Specialist, both from Artera; and an overview of Measurement-Based Care (MBC) by Greenspace Health. Zohaib Bakhtyar, Clinical Partnerships Manager, highlighted research supporting MBC; explained how it is being applied across behavioral health systems to improve outcomes, strengthen accountability and generate actionable insights; and described how technology can help to implement and support MBC. T he Human Resources Practice Group meets jointly with members of the New Jersey Alliance for Children, Youth and Families. Several informative presentations were given during this group’s quarterly meetings. Topics and presenters were Employee Engagement: Benefits of Massage in the Workplace by Alan Eve Burman from JoyLife Therapeutics; Incorporating Wellness into the Company Culture by Audrey Bier from Vita Nutrition Services; Temporary Disability and Family Leave Insurance by Andrea Jensen from the New Jersey Department of Labor; and Recent Executive Orders and How Organizations Are Handling Issues Relating to Engaging a Diverse Workforce by Jay Suggs. The Human Resources Practice Group also hosted a webinar, Closing the Gap: Training Your Way Out of the Workforce Crisis . Brandon Jones, CEO of Triad, provided context on the severe and sustained behavioral health workforce crisis and shared how investing in training and professional development can help providers stand out as employers of choice. The webinar also featured Mary Sherban, Director of Human Resources at CarePlus NJ, Inc., who shared how the agency is working with Triad to support the workforce, increase retention, and strengthen the organization. “ If you and your team invest in the meetings, the groups, and the weekly resources NJAMHAA produces, you can become one the most informed people in the room on a wide range of behavioral health, substance use, and social determinants of health topics. That kind of expertise opens doors that no referral list ever could. The more members engage in the councils and groups, the more directly they shape NJAMHAA’s positions and priorities. ” Lisa Lawson, MSW, MBA, LCSW Associate Executive Director of NJAMHAA and a former member Human Resources Practice Group IT Professional Advisory Committee CO-CHAIRS: Kimberly D’Auria Director of Human Resources Acenda Integrated Health Angela Mallon Senior Vice President of Human Resources CarePlus NJ, Inc. CHAIR: Teri Gilroy Senior Data Analyst Acenda Integrated Health