FY 2020 annual report

A Y E A R L I K E N O O T H E R 9 The NJAMHAA team always does great work in keeping the members informed, but during the pandemic, their work has been invaluable. I am receiving a ton of e-mails related to COVID-19; it can be information overload. However, their e-mails are always precise and to the point! – Brigitte D. Johnson, Esq., Executive Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs/In-House Counsel/ Compliance Officer, CarePlus New Jersey Next, a NJAMHAA press release sent on May 1 st was quickly published on Insider NJ.com and led to Dr. Wentz being interviewed on New Jersey News Network about the mental health impact of COVID-19. Also in early May, an opinion-editorial piece written by Anthony Comerford, PhD, President and CEO of New Hope Integrated Behavioral Health Care and a NJAMHAA Board member, was published by the Asbury Park Press. Dr. Comerford urged Congress to include an emergency appro- priation of $38.5 billion for be- havioral health organizations in the next pandemic relief package. In early June, another op-ed piece written by Bob Budsock and Dr. Wentz was published by the Star-Ledger. This article reinforces the need to strengthen our members’ services for individuals’ well-being and the state’s economic recovery. Media Outlets Turn to NJAMHAA and its Members during the Pandemic NJAMHAA has always been a resource for the media and this reputation certainly remained strong during the coronavirus pandemic with several significant placements in early May – a nota- ble achievement during Mental Health Awareness Month. In late March, an opinion-editorial piece written by NJAMHAA Board Chair Robert J. Budsock, MS, LCADC, President and CEO of Integrity House, and NJAMHAA President and CEO Debra Wentz, PhD, was published by the Star-Ledger. This article demonstrated how assisting those with men- tal health and addiction issues will help slow the spread of COVID-19. In early April, Frank Ghinassi, PhD, President and CEO of Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care and Senior Vice President, Behavioral Health and Addiction Service Line, RWJBarnabas Health, was featured in two articles in ROI-NJ, one on the impacts of the pandemic on clients, the other about how the healthcare workforce was faring amidst the pandemic.