Board of Directors/Membership Meeting
DATE:June 21, 2017 / Time:
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. / Presiding:
Anthony DiFabio / Recorded By:
Shauna Moses
Board Members Present: Mary Pat Angelini, Mary Jo Buchanan (via conference call), Bob Budsock, Carolann Cavaiola, Anthony Comerford, Alan DeStefano, Anthony DiFabio, Linda Gochfeld (via conference call), Jacques Hryshko, Susan Loughery, (via conference call), Jim McCreath, Harry Postel (via conference call), Pete Scerbo (via conference call), Greg Speed
Non-Board Members Participating in Person: Javaid Akhtar, Jersey City Medical Center; Darshan Bhatt, Ocean Mental Health Services; Tara Chalakani, Preferred Behavioral Health Group; Ruth Cook, Triple C Housing; Carolyn Dean, NewBridge Services; Megen Elliott, Preferred Behavioral Health Group; Richard Gitlen, Jewish Family Service of Atlantic & Cape May; Cindy Herdman-Ivins, Family Service Association; Kim Higgs, NJ Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association; Derry Holland, Oaks Integrated Care; Judy Jenkins, Otsuka Pharmaceuticals; Caren Jesseman, SERV Behavioral Health System; John Kulesza, Collaborative Support Programs of NJ; Steve Marchiano, Cape Counseling Services; Mary Meehan Cairns, Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of Newark; Ann Miamidian, Legacy Treatment Services; Robert L. Parker, NewBridge Services; Patrick Pierson, NewBridge Services; Virginia Plaza, Otsuka Pharmaceuticals; Diane Riley, Supportive Housing Association of NJ; Sandra Roche, Netsmart; Patricia Rohman, Otsuka Pharmaceuticals; Leslie Small, Triple C Housing; Michele Smith, Seabrook House; Christina Stuhl, Ocean Mental Health Services; Bob Titus, NJ Council on Developmental Disabilities; Melissa White, NewBridge Services
Non-Board Members Participating via Conference Call: Christopher Apgar, AtlantiCare; Jennifer Black, Beacon Health Options; Dan Burns, CPC Behavioral Health Care; Tara Cogdill, Alternatives; Lynette Connor, Youth Advocate Programs; Kelly Collins, Family & Children's Services; Ross Croessman, Project Live; Beatriz Cruz, Jersey City Medical Center; Joseph Daniel, CenterPath Wellness; Bob Davison, Mental Health Association of Essex County; JoAnne Dunagan, NewPoint Behavioral Health Care; Teri Gilroy, Cape Counseling Services; Judy Rios, Cape Counseling Services; Dave Griffith, Vantage Health System; Grace Hickey, Hackensack Meridian; Rich McDonnell, Family Guidance Center of Warren County; Hilary Pearsall, Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers; Richard Rodgers, CenterPath Wellness; Michael Saynisch, AtlantiCare; Qindi Shi, Oaks Integrated Care; Becky Wong, Otsuka Pharmaceuticals
Staff: Mary Abrams, Ron Gordon, Shauna Moses, Debra Wentz
Absent Board Members: Deborah Hartel, Harry Marmorstein, Deborah Megaro, Mary Gay Abbott-Young
AGENDA ITEMS/ISSUE / DISCUSSION / ACTIONS TAKEN/OUTCOME / TIME-FRAME / WHO’S RESPONSIBLE
Recognition of Members / Debra Wentz presented the Unparalleled Leadership in Serving New Jersey’s Mental Health Community award to Lou Schwarcz, who had stepped down from his position as President and CEO of the Mental Health Asso-ciation of Morris County to facili-tate a merger to ensure that clients did not lose services and staff did not lose their jobs.
Debra recognized Robert L. Parker, CEO of NewBridge Services, for his (continued) / N/A / N/A / N/A
AGENDA ITEMS/ISSUE / DISCUSSION / ACTIONS TAKEN/OUTCOME / TIME
FRAME / WHO’S RESPONSIBLE
Recognition of Members (continued) / advocacy, noting that NJAMHAA had planned to present him with an Advocacy Leadership Team Award during the Annual Membership Meeting in March, which Parker was unable to attend. / N/A / N/A / N/A
Community Support Servi-ces (CSS) / Ruth Cook and Leslie Small of Triple C Housing and John Kulesza of Collaborative Support Programs of NJ shared their experiences with and advice on planning for the transition of CSS to fee-for-service (FFS) reim-bursement. Kim Higgs, Executive Director, New Jersey Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association, shared insights and advice related to advocacy on related issues. / N/A / N/A / N/A
FFS Transitions Overall / Cindy Herdman-Ivins of Family Service Association and Bob Davison of the Mental Health Association of Essex County shared their experiences and advice as they had started FFS reimbursement in January. Parker shared his experiences in preparing for the transition to FFS and advocacy that he and other members have done and its impact, including passage of resolutions by freeholders of six counties. [These counties are Cape May, Morris, Ocean, Somerset and Sussex Counties. Two municipalities, Mahwah and Pequannock, have also passed resolutions.]
Mary Abrams reported that NJAMHAA submitted budget resolutions for safety-net funding to keep provider organizations whole throughout the transition to FFS reimbursement; a 5% Cost of Living Adjustment on remaining contracts; and a $300 per-youth/ per-month increase in the rate for Care Management Organizations (CMOs). (continued) / Parker urged members to advocate to their local legislators and freehold-ders. His Facebook page includes a link to an advocacy letter template and a tool for identifying local legislators. Parker also uses his LinkedIn page for advocacy. [Click here to access Parker’s Facebook Page and here to view his LinkedIn page. Click here and here to read some of the resolutions that had been passed.]
Greg Speed offered to assist members with writing resolutions. He can be contacted through e-mail at gspeed@ capecounseling.org.
Members were also urged to get clients and their family members involved in advocacy, as they could have a particularly strong impact (continued) / Ongoing / Members
AGENDA ITEMS/ISSUE / DISCUSSION / ACTIONS TAKEN/OUTCOME / TIME
FRAME / WHO’S RESPONSIBLE
FFS Transitions Overall (continued) / [Although the resolutions were not included in the Senate budget bill, legislation for safety-net funding is still proceeding through the legislative process and the Senate budget bill includes a $100 per-youth/per-month increase in the rate for CMOs. / by sharing their personal experiences and concerns.
In addition, members were strongly encouraged to advocate against the federal legislation that is proposed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. / Ongoing / Members
Practice Group Reports / Adult Mental Health: Jim McCreath reported that this group hosted presentations at the previous meeting and will have guests at the July 25, 2017 meeting: (1) to address Logisti-Care concerns and (2) about an innovation addiction recovery program.
Chief Financial Officers: Caren Jesseman stated that the group recently had a guest speaker from the Medicaid Fraud Division. Mary Abrams added that a half-day session with representatives from this Division, as well as Managed Care Organizations, is being planned for this summer.
Information Technology (IT): Ron Gordon, Director of NJAMHAA’s IT Project, stated that IT affects everyone at provider organizations (e.g., cyberattacks, data confiden-tiality, compliance) and the IT Project provides many resources to prepare for, prevent and resolve issues. All employees need to be trained and the IT Project provides many training opportunities, both in person and online. (continued) / Members interested in attending can contact Shauna Moses at 609-838-5488, ext. 204, or . The meeting will be held from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at Capitol County Chil-dren’s Collaborative, 3635 Quakerbridge Rd., Suite 800, Hamilton, NJ.
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Click here for details on IT Project services. / RSVP by July 24, 2017
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AGENDA ITEMS/ISSUE / DISCUSSION / ACTIONS TAKEN/OUTCOME / TIME
FRAME / WHO’S RESPONSIBLE
Practice Group Reports (continued) / Ron described the IT Practice Groups and encouraged meeting attendees and their coworkers to join. The Compliance Practice Group members share what inspectors are looking for; the Billing Supervisors’ Practice Group addresses many FFS issues and has a highly active Groupsite (listserv).
Ron announced that the IT Project is working with KnowBe4 to offer agencies a discount on their testing and training solution for reducing risk of cyberattacks. / To join any of these groups, contact Ron at 609-838-5488, ext. 215, or .
Click here for details on this training opportunity.
Focus Group on Value of Servi-ces and other Services of Interest / Debra emphasized that NJAMHAA exists to serve members with advocacy, training, information and other resources and services, and that the staff constantly works hard to be visible.
Debra asked members to complete a brief Membership Value Survey to share their feedback on services and recommendations for other services and training topics that would be valuable.
Shauna added that the effective-ness of NJAMHAA’s advocacy is achieved with valuable input from members. She encouraged atten-dees to continue participating in Membership Meetings, as well as on Practice Groups, and to encour-age their coworkers to do so as well. / Click on the links below for highlights of NJAMHAA’s advocacy and its impact; member services and their value
FY 2017 Annual Report
Identity Piece
Membership Brochure
Member Referral Bonus Offer
Click here to download this survey and send your responses to Shauna at by July 7, 2017.
Click on the link below to download descriptions of Practice Groups and all meeting schedules.
Membership & Practice Group Meetings
Contact Shauna to join any of these groups (609-838-5488, ext. 204, or ).
Consent Agenda / A vote on the consent agenda was not taken. / It will be added to the Board Retreat agenda. / Aug. 4, 2017 / Anthony DiFabio, Debra Wentz, Shauna Moses
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