NJAMHAA News Winter 2023

24 Winter 2023 IT Project Provides Cost-effective Services with Technical and Behavioral Healthcare Expertise As information technology (IT) is essential for ensuring smooth business operations, security of data and coordination of care, it is critical to have ongoing support from IT experts. NJAMHAA’s IT Project teammembers are highly qualified technical support professionals with extensive knowledge about not only the technical aspects of IT, but also behavioral healthcare related policies, laws and regulations. During the pandemic, the IT Project assistedmembers with their transition toworking remotely and serving clients through telehealth. Meanwhile, the NJAMHAA team continued to provide a broad range of valuable services, as they have been doing since the IT Project was established in partnershipwith the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) in 1984. “This Project was unique in the nation then and the leadership that the Project has provided and currently offers is still unparalleledwithin the 50 states,” said June Noto, Vice President of IT, Human Resources (HR) and Administrative Services. “We take great pride inworking withmembers on important statewide projects and finding solutions for individual agencies.” The IT Project’s initial undertakingwas to bring providers fromcompleting clinical documentation and budgets on paper to usingmainframe computers, followed by laptops and the cloud. The services have expanded as the behavioral healthcare and IT industries have evolved. “We continually strive to keep upwith quickly changing technology and help agencies deal with rapid and continuous transformations. It’s a never ending cycle with technology,” said Ron Gordon, IT Project Director. The IT Project teamprovides hands-on technical assistance with establishing and enhancing networks; cloud hosting; guidance for selecting and implementing electronic health record (EHR) systems; and information on funding opportunities and computer donations as they become aware of them. For example, the staff has encouraged providers to take advantage of reimbursement for COVID-related expenses fromDMHAS’ Substance Abuse Block Grant COVID 19 Supplemental Reimbursement (DSCOVRS) Program and the state’s offer of EHR systems funding through the Substance Use Disorder Promoting Interoperability Program (SUD PIP). A number of providers choose to engage technology support services from the IT Project, as they have no other affordable choice and completely rely on the IT Project tomeet their IT needs. In some cases, the IT Project team serves as agencies’ technical support staff on a regular basis. Overall, the IT Project supports hundreds of servers and thousands of end users at provider organizations and saves themhundreds of thousands of dollars annually, which allows the focus of their budgets to be on treatment, instead of technology support. “I can’t say enough about the NJAMHAA IT Project. They really are a godsend. The IT Project staff workedwith us at Ocean Partnership for Children to develop our technology infrastructure, brought us newways to utilize our technology to help children and their families, and helped us build our technology department’s capabilities. I would highly recommend the IT Project for any nonprofit needing to up their game in the tech area!” saidMary Jo Buchanan, LCSW, MPA, Executive Director of Ocean Partnership for Children andNJAMHAA Board Secretary. In addition to assisting individual agencies either on-site or remotely, the IT Project publishes Bits&Bytes to share technology news and information on software options, privacy and other IT- related laws. The IT Project also hosts annual conferences and free webinars on numerous topics, such as billing, quality assurance and cybersecurity. The IT Project’s conferences, webinars and publication are not only for IT staff. The information provided is essential for agencies’ leadership, programdirectors and other workers, and Bits&Bytes is written for a non-technical audience. “The IT Project staff helped us develop our technology infrastructure, brought us new ways to utilize our technology to help children and their families, and helped us build our technology department’s capabilities.” Mary Jo Buchanan, LCSW, MPA Executive Director Ocean Partnership for Children NJAMHAA Board Secretary “