NJAMHAA-FY23-Annual-Report

7 NJAMHAA Annual Report FY 2023 After enduring three years of a pandemic, NJAMHAA is taking stock of the changes made in the past year; celebrating the successes for community-based behavioral health; and working on current priorities for supporting members’ staff in overcoming barriers to service delivery in the year ahead. While the challenges of recruitment and retention can be expected to linger for years to come, NJAMHAA is pleased to be able to report on the many advocacy wins in the past year that continue to assist providers in sustaining their workforce and capacity to serve. Recognizing that understaffed workplaces have left members with staff who are stretched and stressed, NJAMHAA’s highest priority remains the workforce. NJAMHAA continues to advocate for increased rates Breaking Barriers in Behavioral Health Care and contracts, recruitment and retention bonuses, loan redemption programs and other fiscal and policy supports that will allow members to achieve their missions to serve their communities. Next, NJAMHAA will share many anticipated wins on these priority items that are all but assured for FY2024! In all of its work, NJAMHAA continues to infuse health equity and social justice perspectives for diverse populations in efforts to reduce health disparities. Part of this work is newly focused on justice involved individuals, having been awarded a Behavioral Health + Economics Network grant from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing for a second year. Following successful forums in grant year one that resulted in recommendations from those on the front lines, grant year two will focus on obtaining funding, legislation and policy changes to see those recommendations implemented. As NJAMHAA pursues these and other priorities amidst the ever-changing behavioral health landscape, where the state can anticipate the growth of the 988 crisis response system; increased attention to and support for the social determinants of health; potential expansion of New Jersey’s Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics demonstration; and a gradual carve-in of behavioral health services to managed care, NJAMHAA will continue to be by the side of members to support them in taking advantage of opportunities and meeting all challenges by breaking new barriers.