With technology growing in popularity and influence on
behavioral health care on almost a daily basis, technology providers and
non-profits are coming together more and more to not only bridge the gap
between the two entities, but also foster collaboration.
A perfect example of this would be the ongoing relationship
between the New Jersey Innovation Institute (NJII), a subsidiary of the New
Jersey Institute of Technology, which is a think tank serving as a conduit
between academia and industry, focusing on health care and artificial
intelligence (AI). NJII has been a partner of NJAMHAA’s for many years and has
recently become a full member by joining the Technology Council.
Jennifer D'Angelo, Chief Operating Officer and Executive
Vice President, Healthcare Division at NJII, has had a long-standing
relationship with NJAMHAA going back more than two decades to the start of her
career.
When she found out that NJII was part of the state’s
Substance Use Disorder Promoting Interoperability Program (SUD PIP) about six
years ago, that elevated the relationship between the two organizations.
“We’ve been looking at different ways to increase our
partnership and our support for NJAMHAA members. I believe we've been a sponsor
of all the events and had a table at each one. We have worked with a lot of the
members on the SUD PIP and now, on this program that was expanded to other
behavioral health providers,” D’Angelo said.
According to D’Angelo, the decision to become a full member
of NJAMHAA was made after speaking with Debra L. Wentz, PhD, NJAMHAA’s
President and CEO, about how NJII can be more strategically in line with
NJAMHAA and its members.
“It's just been an amazing partnership to be working in this
capacity here and continuing to support NJAMHAA as an organization and the
members,” D’Angelo said. “The IT landscape is changing so quickly and there's a
lot coming out for these providers. I feel that we could be a great tech
partner to help not only NJAMHAA itself, but possibly its members, as well. In
our discussions, we switched from being just a sponsor to joining in a more
formal way as a tech partner.”
“At the center of the success of our partnership with NJII
is the leadership and vision of Jennifer D’Angelo,” Dr. Wentz said. “Throughout
her career she has joined an eye to the future with pragmatic solutions and
strategies on the ground that have been accessible to providers, ultimately
benefiting the individuals served, as well as the entire healthcare system.
Formalizing our collaboration through NJII’s participation as the newest member
of NJAMHAA’s Technology Council will no doubt lead to new projects that will
help our members optimally use technology to minimize their administrative
burden, improve care and strengthen the bottom line. I am so excited and
pleased as we look forward to the next chapter in our strong partnership.”
Also happy to see the NJII join on as a full member was
Steve Hirsch, LSW, MSW, MBA, NJAMHAA’s Vice President of Information
Technology, Human Resources and Administrative Services, who is the head of
NJAMHAA’s IT and staff liaison to the Technology Council.
“On the IT side, you're only going to really hit IT people.
There are some providers thrust into that role on the IT side at provider
organizations just because nobody else can or will do it, so you'll hit some,
but most of the people are really on the technology side,” Hirsch said. "I
think it's important for people who are not on the technology side -- all the
front-end people, the clinical staff -- actually get to see all that's going on
and the opportunities that technology provides, and I think NJII will help with
that,” he added.
Having NJII as both a member and a Tech Council vendor will
also help the IT Project, according to D’Angelo.
“We find that there's incredible value for us to be able to
offer NJAMHAA members a wide variety of IT support and services so that's where
it makes sense for us on so many different levels: Tech Council, IT Project,
sponsor, member, and collaborator,” D’Angelo said.
Both Hirsch and D’Angelo feel that technology, specifically
AI, will be playing a larger role in behavioral health in the near future,
especially with funding cuts that will most likely impact the workplace and
through relationships like this, providers can learn more about how new
technology will be able to help provide the best care possible.
“There's a hesitation with adopting technology
interoperability because of concerns about how they're safely able to share
information. I feel like we're still having to educate around this topic so
that we can eventually start to help the whole patient journey and not just
segments of health like behavioral health,” D’Angelo said.
