NJAMHAA-FY23-Annual-Report

20 Breaking Barriers in Behavioral Health Care invite legislators to their programs as part of their advocacy to preserve these highly valuable programs. NJAMHAA’s Senior Health Policy Analyst Mary Abrams, who is also the staff liaison for the Children’s Practice Group and its SBYSP Subcommittee, helped with this project, which greatly contributed to the successful advocacy to continue SBYSP funding. In addition, Roy Leitstein, MS, Chief Executive Officer of Legacy Treatment Services, requested information on advocacy issues from NJAMHAA for his meetings with Congressional Representatives in Washington, DC. Not only do members use the materials that NJAMHAA creates, but they also contribute to the development of advocacy messages through lively discussions during practice group, council and membership meetings. All of these forums offer opportunities for providers and other leaders in and related to the field, including representatives from the state government and other organizations, to share valuable information that helps enhance quality of care and modify regulations and policies to make such improvements possible on an ongoing basis. Every group engages in discussions and brainstorms advocacy strategies to address issues, most concerning of which is the behavioral healthcare workforce crisis, closely followed by the anticipated carve-in of more behavioral health services into Medicaid managed care, and challenges with obtaining facility and individual licenses. Participants share their expertise, experiences and recommendations to inform and reinforce NJAMHAA’s advocacy, and to help their colleagues address challenges, such as those that resulted from the pandemic, including staff stress and burnout. Below are specific examples of each group’s achievements, goals and/or areas of focus. Addictions Practice Group Chair: Mary Gay Abbott-Young, LCADC NJAMHAA and NJMHI Board Member and President, Rescue Mission of Trenton Vice Chair: Kendria McWilliams, MBA NJMHI Board Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Maryville Addiction Treatment Centers In July 2022, the Addictions Practice Group began meeting regularly with the Department of Health’s (DOH’s) Certificate of Need and Licensing (CNL) staff to address ongoing challenges with receiving and renewing licenses. Discussions initially took place during this group’s meetings and now, separate conversations solely about licensing are taking place in a quarterly workgroup formed with several volunteers from the group and staff from DOH CNL and NJAMHAA. As questions about licensing and career paths have arisen during discussions, the Addictions Practice Group hosted Diane Litterer, MPA, CPS, Chief Executive Officer, and Lisa Daly, Associate Director, New Jersey Prevention Network (NJPN), to explain the training that NJPN offers through Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) funding and the pathways for individuals to become licensed and certified counselors. In addition, Milagros Collazo, Executive Director, State Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Examiners, met with the group to explain the licensure process and share recommendations for helping to expedite processing of applications. Regarding the 1115 Waiver and managed care, this group collaborated with NJAMHAA’s Residential Providers Practice Group to develop a position paper, which was presented to the Department of Human Services.