February 1, 2024
The New Jersey Reentry Corporation (NJRC), with input and technical support from NJAMHAA, developed a detailed Annual Report: The Scourge of Addiction in New Jersey, which includes specific policy recommendations to improve access to addiction treatment, and ensure that individuals receive comprehensive, quality, integrated care in New Jersey.
Of particular note, the report suggests the implementation of a Health Information Exchange (HIE) for behavioral health information, which would include the "siloed" behavioral health clinics and treatment centers into a comprehensive, integrated HIE. As shared by NJRC, "Medical health information has largely been integrated into an HIE. Yet, the behavioral health system has not been properly integrated, and medical professionals routinely do not have access to the behavioral health information of patients, which is critical to medical judgments, decisions, and clinical treatment."
Additionally, the report focuses on the present "carve-in" of behavioral health services into managed care, found on page 17 of the report; the integration of behavioral health and physical care, found on page 25 of the report; and the need for robust, informative prevention and educational programs, found on page 37 of the report.
Click here to access the Annual Report: The Scourge of Addiction in New Jersey in full and for more information.
