NJAMHAA FY2022 Annual Report

19 “The practice groups allow our directors and managers to be the eyes and ears of our agency and provide me, as well as the full agency leadership team, with information that is critical for making decisions.” Jacques Hryshko, MS, LPC, NJAMHAA’s Board Vice Chair and CEO of Family Connections Evidence Based Practices (EBP) Practice Group Co-Chairs: Elizabeth O’Callaghan, BA, CADC, Train - ing and Consultation Specialist, and Anna Marie Toto, EdM, Program Analyst, Behavioral Research and Training Institute, both at Rutgers University Behavior - al Health Care The EBP Practice Group hosts dynamic discussions and shares practical guidelines for implementing EBP’s. For example, members are asked to share the challenges they encounter and strategies for over - coming them, and are challenged to think creatively, for instance, about how they can work together to ensure EBP’s result in significant outcomes in their communities. In August, this group hosted a presentation by cli - nicians from Rutgers University Correctional Health Care on dialectical behavioral therapy for justice-in - volved individuals. They described their creative EBP implementation strategies, the coordinated efforts to sustain quality treatment and the positive impact on individual outcomes. Hospital Community Integration Council Co-Chairs: Susan Loughery, MBA, NJAMHAA Board Chair and Associate Executive Director, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton; Jim McCreath, PhD, LCSW, Vice President, Psychiatry, Behavioral Health and Long-Term Care, Trinitas Regional Medical Cen - ter/St. Joseph’s Health; and Lori Ann Rizzuto, LCSW, NJAMHAA Board Member and Executive Director, Atlantic Health System This group is holding ongoing discussions about the Quality Improvement Program (QIP), which is the successor to the Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) program. As with the DSRIP, the QIP requires collaboration between hospital- and community-based providers, and this group is developing strategies for fostering such partnerships and working to garner additional sup- port from the Department of Health (DOH), as well as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), to ensure the initiative’s success by including funds to incentivize community partners. The group has met with DOH staff to address concerns and plans to hold additional discussions with DOH, as well as a meeting with CMS. Integrated Case Management Services (ICMS) Practice Group Chair: Anna Kline, MAE, Integrated Case Management & Justice Involved Services, Preferred Behavioral Health Group Co-Chair: Renee Carrillo, ICMS Team Leader, Oaks Integrated Care The ICMS Practice Group has been quite busy and productive this year developing recommendations for substantial changes to the program regulations and meeting with DMHAS staff about them. This group also planned and presented its first conference, Deliv- ering Hope Post-Pandemic, in many years, which was very well received. It featured a keynote presentation by Carol Kivler, MS, CSP, International Executive Coach, Trainer, Speaker, Author and President of Kiv - ler Communications, and presentation of ICMS Case Manager Awards. The group is already planning the FY2023 conference. Programs for Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) Practice Group Chair: Crystal Smith, MSW, Team Leader, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton Vice Chair: Amy Harpster, MA, Director, Community Support Services and PACT, Bridgeway Rehabilitation Services, Inc. The PACT Directors have shared a wealth of input for recommended regulatory changes to align with how this program is currently being operated, which is sig- nificantly different from when it was created in the late 1990’s. The group is working to arrange a meeting