FY2026 Annual Report

34 75 th Anniversary IT Project Enables Providers to Implement Technologies to Enhance Quality of Care I n addition to its annual conference and webinars, the IT Project offers high-level information technology (IT) support through a broad range of services at very affordable rates. “In these tough economic times for providers, the IT Project always explores ways to deliver services and help providers save on solutions. We are able to do this because of our relationship with and support from DMHAS,” said Ron Gordon, Director of the IT Project, referring to the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services, which NJAMHAA created the IT Project with in 1984. The IT Project is continuously available to support internal and external members’ staff with selection, implementation, upgrades and troubleshooting of hardware, networks and software, including electronic health records and telehealth systems. Its technical support also encompasses data reporting, including the Annex A and other state-required reporting, and larger initiatives, such as project planning, new building moves and transitioning agencies to Microsoft 365 cloud services. “The IT Project was an early adopter of Microsoft’s 365 cloud service for nonprofits. Initially, it was solely for email services, and the team was able to move email systems from agencies’ on-premise servers to the cloud,” Gordon explained. “This was and still is a big advantage because it leverages Microsoft as a company that has enormous resources for access, security and disaster recovery. Over the years, Microsoft has greatly expanded cloud services, and the IT Project has been helping agencies move more and more of their IT services within that system.” The IT Project continues to expand and take advantage of the use of Microsoft’s cloud solutions and nonprofit offerings. With a $2,000 grant for Azure, the IT Project is able to host virtual servers in the cloud and provide backup services. In addition, the team has implemented new tools for providers, including Entra for cloud authentication, Advanced Defender features for end point protection, and Intune for end point management and other important features that help members achieve maximum efficiency and effectiveness in delivering services. As cyber threats against healthcare providers are continuing to increase and many providers are not sure where to start to protect their organizations and the individuals they serve, the IT Project has hosted webinars and conference workshops on many aspects of this critical topic. The team also takes the initiative in encouraging providers to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies to enhance the quality of care. To do this, the IT Project hosts experts on AI at its in-person conference and through multiple webinars throughout the year. Other training topics include confidentiality requirements of 42 CFR Part 2 and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), as well as other federal and state regulations; billing requirements, especially as more behavioral healthcare services are now carved into Medicaid managed care; and much more. The IT Project operates a help desk to provide immediate, personalized assistance on IT issues as providers encounter them. While most of the assistance is provided remotely, the team is also available to assist providers at their organizations, both as challenges arise and on regular schedules, which is particularly helpful for small agencies that do not have their own IT staff.