NJAMHAA-FY21-annual-report

12 NJAMHAA reinforces its advocacy and educates the general public through media relations. Many opinion-editorial (op-ed) pieces and letters to editors demonstrate the need for sustained and increased funding. Others are statements in response to situations, such as the pandemic and its impact on individuals’ health and incidents that underscore the importance of eliminating disparities in healthcare access. In FY2021, NJAMHAA had 19 of these pieces published in print and online publications, as of May 24th. The greatest highlight of media coverage for FY2021 was the unexpected opportunity to place a full-page ad at no cost in a special section on behavioral healthcare and substance use services in the Star-Ledger, Times of Trenton and South Jersey Times on January 24, 2021. Capitalizing on NJAMHAA’s priority budget requests, the ad appeared in another special section about opioid use disorder and treatment options in all three newspapers the following week. Throughout the year, NJAMHAA sends numerous press releases to further underscore the need for support of the behavioral healthcare system. Several are tied to behavioral related observances such as Mental Health Month (May) and Recovery Month (September). To date, NJAMHAA’s press releases led to 39 interviews with reporters from print and online news publications, and 14 interviews with television and radio station reporters. Additional highlights of NJAMHAA’s media coverage in FY2021 are: • Daily Record/Northjersey.com , “NJ deserves a stronger behavioral healthcare system as federal funds flow,” Op-ed by Debra L. Wentz, PhD, President and CEO, NJAMHAA, April 2, 2021 • ROI-NJ , “Murphy’s budget lauded by leading health care associations,” Debra L. Wentz, PhD, President and CEO interviewed, February 24, 2021 • ROI-NJ and Insider NJ , “FY2022 Budget Must Build a Bridge to a Better Future for New Jerseyans,” Op-ed piece by Debra L. Wentz, PhD, President and CEO, NJAMHAA, February 18, 2021 • NJ101.5 , “Before COVID, Therapy Access Was Already a Problem in New Jersey,” Debra L. Wentz, PhD, President and CEO, NJAMHAA, interviewed, January 19, 2021 • Mental Health Weekly , “Technology more critical now more than ever,” by June Noto, NJAMHAA’s Vice President of IT, Human Resources and Administrative Services, and Ron Gordon, IT Project Director, September 21, 2020 • NJ Spotlight, “This is how Murphy’s budget allocates $2.4 billion in federal COVID funding,” Debra L. Wentz, PhD, President and CEO, NJAMHAA, interviewed, September 21, 2020 • NJ Spotlight , “Overdose deaths in NJ may hit record high,” Debra L. Wentz, PhD, President and CEO, NJAMHAA, interviewed, September 15, 2020 • Star-Ledger , “The COVID-19 Outbreak: New Jerseyans need more mental health service in this time of the coronavirus,” Op-ed piece by Debra L. Wentz, PhD, President and CEO, NJAMHAA, August 25, 2020 • Press of Atlantic City, “Fund mental health care in NJ to counter pandemic stress,” Op-ed by Debra L. Wentz, PhD, President and CEO, NJAMHAA, August 23, 2020 • NJ101.5 , “COVID-19 Raising Concern about NJ Kids Contemplating Suicide,” Shauna Moses, NJAMHAA’s Vice President, Public Affairs and Member Services, interviewed, August 18, 2020 • Northjersey.com , “NJ group home residents with disabilities have been isolated too long, advocates say,” Debra L. Wentz, PhD, President and CEO, NJAMHAA, interviewed, August 17, 2020 • Times of Trenton , “New Jerseyans need more mental health services in this time of COVID-19,” Op-ed piece by Debra L. Wentz, PhD, President and CEO, NJAMHAA, August 11, 2020 • Philadelphia Inquirer , “New Jersey’s 2021 budget should expand mental health treatment,” Op-ed piece by Debra L. Wentz, PhD, President and CEO, NJAMHAA, August 6, 2020 • Asbury Park Press , “Congress, don’t make it harder to afford our medicine,” Op-ed piece by Debra L. Wentz, PhD, President and CEO, NJAMHAA, July 20, 2020 Media Coverage Educates and Bolsters Advocacy