November 7, 2025

Yesterday was the 75^th anniversary of NJAMHAA’s founding and is cause for celebration of its consistent and growing impact throughout its history, as well as strong likelihood of continued, significant influence on budgets, legislation and regulations moving forward.

“Over the past 75 years, NJAMHAA has grown from a relatively unknown entity to a prominent trade association in New Jersey, as well as across the country and even internationally. We have achieved tremendous impact not only through advocacy, but also by building awareness of mental illnesses and substance use disorders, and the need for and value of treatment and support services. We have also contributed greatly to the expanded use of evidence-based practices. We are especially proud to have championed individuals with lived experience and recovery models,” said Debra L. Wentz, PhD, President and CEO of NJAMHAA.

“Outside of the clinical realm, we brought provider organizations into the computer age with our IT Project, which was established in 1984 and has also evolved over the years,” Dr. Wentz added. In addition to supporting providers with hardware- and software-related matters, the IT Project team is a knowledgeable resource regarding artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, privacy laws, billing requirements and other technology-related aspects of providing behavioral health services.

Dr. Wentz also serves as Executive Director of the New Jersey Mental Health Institute (NJMHI), which NJAMHAA established in 2000 to offer additional support for providers through cultural competency and other training programs, including one targeting services for returning veterans, and to encourage greater use of behavioral healthcare services through anti-stigma and anti-discrimination campaigns. More recently, NJMHI created the LeadershipAcademy for Behavioral Healthcare Professionals to augment NJAMHAA’s efforts to expand and strengthen the workforce in order to increase access to services that NJAMHAA members provide.

“The behavioral healthcare field certainly has undergone extraordinary changes – many positive and many others challenging – and is continuing to do so. NJAMHAA, our IT Project and NJMHI remain completely dedicated to supporting all our members in any way possible to ensure their ongoing viability and access to the essential services they provide,” Dr. Wentz said.

NJAMHAA will continue celebrating its 75^th anniversary with the development of a commemorative journal and video, as was done for the 70th anniversary.