FY2026 Annual Report

Annual Report FY2026 31 I n FY2026, NJAMHAA hosted four in-person conferences and nine webinars. The conferences continued NJAMHAA’s tradition of featuring high-profile keynote presenters on policy and clinical topics and workshops on a variety of important subjects, including best practices for providing treatment and support services, effectively and ethically using artificial intelligence and other technologies, and much more. The webinars are additional opportunities for members and other experts in the field to share their knowledge and highlight valuable tools and resources. The keynote presentation was Re-envisioning Health Care: Centering Behavioral Health, Whole Health, and Provider Well-being , by Tracy Gaudet, MD, Co-Founder of Cornerstone Collaboration for Societal Change and Executive Director of Doctorate in Whole Health Leadership, Southern California University of Health Sciences. She illustrated the need to transform the medicalized healthcare system into one of whole health with a stronger focus on the human elements. Fall Conference Harvesting Hope: A Vision for Behavioral Health The plenary session consisted of a panel discussion, Behavioral Health: Where We Are and Where We Are Going , with state and national leaders who shared their organizations’ initiatives to increase access to services, including efforts to mitigate the negative impacts of federal funding and policy changes, and they shared recommendations for providers. The panelists were Jennifer Mathis, JD, Deputy Director, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law; Valerie Mielke, MSW, Deputy Commissioner for Health Services, New Jersey Department of Human Services; and Diana Salvador, PsyD, Deputy Director and Clinical Director, Children’s System of Care, New Jersey Department of Children and Families. NJAMHAA Reinforces Advocacy, Partnerships and the Workforce through Conferences and Webinars OCTOBER 21, 2025 Fall Conference Harvesting Hope: A Vision for Behavioral Health NOVEMBER 12, 2025 ICMS Conference Compassion in Action: Elevating Care & Empowering through Connection APRIL 14-15, 2026 Spring Conference Evolving Behavioral Health: Advancing Together for 75 Years MAY 7, 2026 IT Conference Empowering the Digital Future The keynote presentation, The Heart of the Work: Courage, Care, and Connection in Case Management , reinforced the importance of self-care and self-compassion and demonstrated how to meet these needs through the Eight Dimensions of Wellness. It was presented by Margaret Swarbrick, PhD, FAOTA, Research Professor and Associate Director, Center of Alcohol & Substance Use Studies, Rutgers Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology; and Wellness Institute Director, Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey. ICMS Conference Compassion in Action: Elevating Care & Empowering through Connection 127 Attendees 9 Sessions 176 Attendees 43 Sponsors 18 Sessions