NJAMHAA News - October 2021

October 2021 19 Jacques Hryshko, MS, LPC, Vice Chair Chief Executive Officer, Family Connections NJAMHAANews: What do you see as NJAMHAA’s greatest value and contributions for member organizations and the individuals they serve? Jacques Hryshko: NJAMHAA’s greatest contribution is strengthening sustainability even though this is an extremely challenging time. What this means to citizens of the state has been tremendous. NN: How does NJAMHAA contribute to the effectiveness of your organization and staff and the entire behavioral healthcare system? JH: It’s all about serving people in need, building the financial sustainability of each agency and the system of care for mental health and substance use throughout the state. That’s a big deal! NN: What would you like to see NJAMHAA accomplish in the upcoming year and farther in the future? JH: NJAMHAA has initiated so many conversations with the state and asked howwe can help. I would like to see the state come to a practice group meeting and ask how they can help. We need more recognition of how hard we work, how serious we are about service delivery, and we need more open dialogue. Debra [Wentz, President and CEO of NJAMHAA] has been amazing at doing this. NN: What have you gained personally from serving on the Board and as the CFO Practice Group’s Chair? JH: I’ve been inspired by the commitment and dedication of the CFOs and also the commitment to help each other. This dynamic is unique. Everyone recognizes the tremendous challenges that each other has even without knowing specifics. CFOs are often isolated and they want to support each other with that. They understand the responsibility that each has, especially through this time when we’re on razor thin margins and information is so disconnected and contradictory. The group members are clearly motivated by their support for each other. It’s been a tremendous experience serving on the Board, being in a roomwith other leaders for whom I’ve had tremendous respect. NJAMHAA is kind of a professional spa, a great place to decompress. Debra and Shauna [Moses, Vice President, Public Affairs and Member Services] have set the tone for this. Tony Comerford, PhD, Treasurer President & Chief Executive Officer, New Hope Integrated Behavioral Health Care NJAMHAANews: What do you see as NJAMHAA’s greatest achievement from the past year and overall? Tony Comerford: I’d have to say NJAMHAA’s greatest accomplishment is navigating through the pandemic. Decisions had to be made quickly and, not only did the NJAMHAA team contend with its own business disruptions, they also maintained consistent presence in the press and remained active in advocacy on issues of import, including workforce development and the need for supplemental funding to support wage increases. At the same time, NJAMHAA kept the membership up-to-date on state and federal guidance without missing a beat. NJAMHAA afforded its members time and space to deal with their own disruptions without losing touch. NN: What do you see as NJAMHAA’s greatest value and contributions for member organizations and the individuals they serve? TC: NJAMHAA sifts through the mountains of information that bombards us all daily and reports regularly and consistently on priorities, advocacy and progress as new information comes in. I think the individuals who the member organizations serve benefit from being served by part of the NJAMHAA collective: a teamwith a common purpose to help those in need to live better lives. NN: How does NJAMHAA contribute to the effectiveness of your organization and staff and the entire behavioral healthcare system? TC: I think the practice groups (Addictions, Children’s, CFO, Hospital Community Integration, et al.) play a big role in keeping individual specialties up-to-date on shifts in demand, as well as changes in federal and state regulations. They also serve as points for collaboration across all of health care. This, I think, benefits the entire systemwith NJAMHAA serving as a single point where real-time news is collected, digested and reported so that dialogue within and across practice groups is more meaningful and often with actionable outcomes. NN: What would you like to see NJAMHAA accomplish in the upcoming year and farther in the future? [continued on page 20]