NJAMHAA-FY21-annual-report

9 maintain the CSOC rate increases; no cuts to any DCF program; $86.1 million that will go to providers to cover two years of minimum wage increases; and funding to increase the number of residency slots for psychiatrists. These are just a few of the many budget lines NJAMHAA will work to retain in the final budget while advocating for added funding for our priority items. State Legislation and Regulation In the past year, NJAMHAA has been very successful in having several pieces of legislation amended or introduced that will support members’ efforts on the front lines and their organizations as a whole. At our request: • Telehealth legislation (A4179) was amended to ensure clients may receive services at any location. • School Based Youth Services Program legislation (A4435) was amended to ensure requests for proposals are open to community- based providers. • Legislation was introduced (A5836) that would provide an inflationary increase to rates and contracts on an annual basis. • A bill (S3323) providing $180 million in grants for providers with COVID-related fiscal deficits was amended to clarify that contracted programs are eligible. • A bill (S550) was amended to include crisis text line information along with suicide prevention hotline information on student identification cards. NJAMHAA’s current efforts include: • Shaping the legislation that will create the 9-8-8 crisis response system • Moving to passage of a bill (S138) that reinstates the motor vehicle registration fee exemption for all non-profits • Pursuing introduction of legislation that would double the state investment in SBYSPS to expand the program to more districts and strengthen existing programs • Developing recommendations for the updated Programs for Assertive Community Treatment regulations On the regulatory front, NJAMHAA had great success in having changes made to the Medicaid Newsletter (Vol. 31, No. 07) on “Policy and Billing Procedures Related to Presumptive Drug Screening and Definitive Drug Testing” with a new Newsletter issued (Vol. 31, No. 11) addressing our concerns and incorporating many of our recommendations. We continue working on the following regulatory matters: • Extending the temporary certification process for certified alcohol drug counselor (CADC) interns so they may continue to provide services via telehealth • Allowing advance practice nurses to bill for medication assisted treatment services in non- opiod treatment program (OTP) settings • Drafting regulations for the Integrated Case Management Services program to present to the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services NJAMHAA looks forward to sharing our successes on these many fronts with all members as they are achieved! Federal Legislation and Advocacy NJAMHAA spent much of the last year bringing timely details to members on the various COVID relief packages and programs including a great deal of information on the many rounds of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loans, Provider Relief Funds and PPP Loan Forgiveness. One early advocacy success ensured the behavioral health workforce was included in the definition of “essential healthcare workers” to be prioritized for receiving personal protective equipment when it was scarce. NJAMHAA has since successfully advocated to make sure behavioral health workers are captured in definitions provided in a broad array of grant announcements, bills and guidances. This past year also saw NJAMHAA once again as a leading advocate in the great successes achieved to sustain and expand Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs). In December 2020, in the federal Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021 (also known as the COVID Relief and Omnibus Spending package), NJAMHAA’s years of advocacy, in tandem with others across the country, finally resulted in a three-year extension of the demonstration program through September 30, 2023, including the enhanced federal match for the duration. After a multitude of short extensions in recent years, some only for weeks, as well as funding gaps, this was a success to celebrate! The December package also added two new states to the demonstration program and $850 million for CCBHC expansion grants for both existing and new programs. In February 2021, three member organizations became CCBHCs under expansion grants for a total of 15 CCBHCs in New Jersey “Every year, NJAMHAA’s budget advocacy for mental health and substance use services keeps our system funded and vibrant.” – Lou Schwarcz, MA, CEO of The Bridge