Departments of Labor, Health & Human Services, Treasury Release 2022 MHPAEA Report to Congress
January 27, 2022
The United States Department of Labor, Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS), and Department of the
Treasury have released the 2022 Mental Health Parity and
Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA) report, Rea...
NIH-Supported Study Finds Links to Better Mental Health among Youth during the COVID-19 Pandemic
January 25, 2022
A study published today in the Journal of Adolescent
Health found that supportive relationships ...
Funding Cut from Excluded New Jerseyans Fund
January 24, 2022
The Excluded New Jerseyans Fund (ENJF), as described on
nj.gov, "provides a one-time, direct cash
benefit to eligible households who have suffered hardship
due to COVID-19 and were excluded from both the federal
...
Executive Order Requires Stricter Vaccine Requirements, Raises Concerns about Healthcare Workforce
Jan. 19, 2022
Earlier today, Governor Phil Murphy issued a new
Executive Order (#283) that requires all staff in health
care and high-risk congregate settings (e.g., prisons,
nursing homes, other long-term care centers) to be fully...
Final Day of New Jersey Legislative Session Sees Emergency Powers, Tax Breaks, and Others on Agenda
January 10, 2022, was the final day of the current state
Legislative Session, which means that any bill that fails
to make it through both chambers by the end of the day
will need to be reintroduced in the next legislative
...
2021 Highlights of NJAMHAA's Impact and a Look Ahead to 2022
2021 was another whirlwind of a year and despite the pandemic and
other challenges, both new and ongoing, our trade association is
persevering in its efforts to continually strengthen the
behavioral healthcare system and increase access to the vital
services that all of you provide.
T...
Absent Legislation, Old Rules for Virtual Addiction Treatment May Return, Making Access Harder
In the midst of the pandemic, there was much easing of
regulations around telehealth services. In the case of virtual
addiction treatment, the temporary telehealth expansions not only
helped patients work around the pandemic lockdown, but also
eliminated some common barriers to care that ...
Holiday Blues Could Be Worsened by Ongoing Pandemic and Last into the New Year
December 21, 2021
While the holiday season is a joyful time for many people,
especially for those who are able to reunite with friends and
family after long separations due to the pandemic, this is
unfortunately not the case for many other individuals. Traveling
to see loved ones is s...
All of New Jersey’s Diverse Residents Need Behavioral Health Care to Thrive
Children and adults throughout New Jersey represent every
ethnicity, race, language, culture, gender identity and religion,
and many of them have mental health and/or substance use
disorders (SUD). However, many do not have access to
community-based services that have been proven to be hi...
Congress’ Priorities Include Build Back Better Act, Expanding Mental Health Access
December 28, 2021
"Democrats are hoping to pass President Joe Biden's $1.7 trillion
social spending agenda after setbacks in December pushed
negotiations into 2022. Lawmakers are also expected to turn their
focus to issues such as telehealth and mental health, which have
broad support...
The World Is Fortunate to Have Support from Social Workers
It is meaningful that World Social Work Day was on St. Patrick's
Day this year as the entire world is extremely fortunate to have
support from social workers.
Social workers have always played a vital role in enabling
individuals of all ages to cope with challenging situations,
rangin...
Devastation from Haiti Earthquake, Torrential Rain, other Tragedies Raise Concerns for Citizens’
Just a few weeks after the assassination of President Jovenel
Moïse, the citizens of Haiti are facing much more devastation
from an earthquake that claimed the lives of nearly 1,300
individuals, seriously injured at least 5,700 people and left
thousands more displaced due to total destru...
Amidst Growing Demand for Services & Hiring Crisis, Social Workers Face Backlog in Getting Licensed
Across New Jersey, a mental health crisis is brewing with
potentially dire consequences. On the heels of the COVID-19
pandemic, the demand for mental health services has increased
exponentially. While providers of mental health services are
working tirelessly to support community members ...
Assassination of Haiti President Will Exacerbate Mental Health Challenges in Long-Struggling Country
Statement from Debra L. Wentz, PhD, President and CEO
On behalf of the New Jersey Association of Mental Health and
Addiction Agencies, I extend deepest condolences to the family of
Haiti President Jovenel Moïse, who was assassinated early
yesterday morning, and send warmest wishes to ...
Recent Shootings Underscore Need to Eliminate Stigma and Provide Services
March 24, 2021
Statement from Debra L. Wentz, PhD, President and CEO
The New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction
Agencies (NJAMHAA) is deeply saddened to hear about the loss of
lives in the recent shootings in Boulder, CO, and the Atlanta, GA
area, and sends heartfelt...
