FY 2020 annual report

A Y E A R L I K E N O O T H E R 11 other stakeholders, the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) and the Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services, led to recommendations that will significantly improve the fiscal support, and reduce the administrative burden, of these programs. In December, NJAMHAA testified on the FY2021 budget at a Department of Human Services (DHS) budget listening session. NJAMHAA highlighted the need for rates that cover the actual costs of provid- ing services; increases to be able to better recruit and retain a qualified workforce and avoid wage compression in light of minimum wage increases; capital funding to support integrated care and electronic health record systems; FFS supplemental funding to fill deficits while rates are studied; and inflationary indexing of rates going forward. Another significant advocacy win came following NJAMHAA’s close work with the sponsors of bills calling for the expansion of Early Intervention Support Services to all counties and establishing a grant program for Screening Centers to expand services. The Screening Center grant program was signed into law in January 2020 and NJAMHAA immediately began working to have funds appropri- ated to it. The law requires DMHAS to accept grant requests from designated screening centers that emphasize outreach and early intervention, such as expanded mobile and satellite services. In his FY2021 Budget Address in February 2020, Gov. Murphy underscored the Administration’s commitment to protect the Affordable Care Act, integrate behavioral and physical health care, and strengthen the economy. His proposal included rate increases for long-term residential substance use treatment services, Integrated Case Management Services (ICMS) and children’s behavioral health care – all priorities for which NJAMHAA had been advocating. On the day of the Governor’s Budget Address, NJAMHAA staff exhibited at the State House An- nex, presenting its new advocacy campaign, In- vest in a Healthy New Jersey, to State Legislators. NJAMHAA is persevering in advocating specifically for $25 million in supplemental funding for FFS programs, and for expansion of School Based Youth Services; funding to support upgrades to electronic health records for all behavioral healthcare provid- ers; and capital funding for behavioral healthcare providers to integrate primary care into their facili- ties. Also in February, the Department of Health (DOH) responded to NJAMHAA’s persistent advocacy to alleviate barriers providers were suddenly facing in their efforts to provide MAT services. DOH issued three blanket waivers for providers licensed under 10:37E and 10:161B to improve access to MAT and expedite the licensing process. The waivers ad- dressed medical directors’ and designees’ qualifica- tions for outpatient substance use disorder (SUD) treatment facilities, and granted regulatory relief to both mental health and SUD outpatient facilities regarding prescribing, storing and administering all medications approved by the Food and Drug Admin- istration for the treatment of SUD other than meth- adone. NJAMHAA testified before the Senate Budget Com- mittee in March 2020, adding requests for $5 million to support unfunded minimum wage increases and an increase for the children’s psychiatric assess- ment rate to equal the adult rate to its list of bud- get priorities. NJAMHAA staff Mary Abrams (left) and Shauna Moses (right) discussed funding priorities with Assemblywoman Mila M. Jasey (D-27th District) at the State House the day of Governor Murphy’s FY2021 Budget Address.