Providers, Advocates Push for Higher Reimbursement Rates in Federal Legislation
  February 28, 2022
  Lawmakers are considering legislation that would aim to address
  the gaps in the behavioral healthcare system. Senator Patty
  Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and
  Pensions Committee, was quoted on 
  modernhealthcare.com saying, "Our mental hea...
        
                
    Potential Impact of CDC’s Relaxed Opioid Prescription Proposals
  
    
      
        
          February 24, 2022
        
        
          The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has
          proposed new guidelines for prescribing opioids for pain
          treatment that would eliminate dosage caps on treatment.
          Dr. Lewis Nelson, ...
        
                
    Study Suggests COVID-19 Infection May Increase the Risk of Developing New Mental Health Problems
  Mental health issues have been exacerbated by the social
  isolation, economic stress, loss of loved ones, and other
  struggles due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A new study, 
  Mental Health in People with COVID-19,
  published in the journal The BMJ, suggests that COVID-19
  infection itself may i...
        
                
    Mental Health Report Card Shows All 50 States Are Struggling to Address Youth Mental Health Crisis
  February 17, 2022
  The Hopeful Futures Campaign has released a first-of-its-kind
  Mental Health Report Card for each of the 50 states' schools.
  This report comes after several of the nation's leading pediatric
  groups 
  called the state of children's mental health a national
  emergency, ...
        
                
    Behavioral Health Services Empower Diverse Individuals to Achieve Many Successes
  February 16, 2022
  NJAMHAA Shares Inspiring Examples, Calls for More
  Funding to Create More Opportunities
  As Black History Month highlights the meaningful accomplishments
  of many individuals, often overcoming great adversity, the New
  Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction ...
        
                
    License Backlogs Are Preventing Some New Healthcare Workers from Seeing Patients
  February 15, 2022
  As the healthcare field faces staffing crises, those entering the
  industry and applying for a variety of care licenses are facing
  longer than normal delays in some states, preventing them from
  providing care. As reported on 
  nbcnews.com, four different professional m...
        
                
    CDC Proposes Relaxing Guidelines for Doctors Prescribing Opioid Painkillers
  February 14, 2022
  
    
      
        
          As reported on 
          modernhealthcare.com,
          on Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and
          Prevention (CDC) released proposed changes to its
          guidelines for U.S. doctors prescribing oxycodone and
          ot...
        
                
    House Passes Third Continuing Resolution to Keep Government Funded through March 11th
  February 10, 2022
  On Monday, February 7, House Democrats introduced and the House
  of Representatives voted to pass a third consecutive continuing
  resolution (CR) to keep the government funded through March 11,
  and to give Congress more time to complete a fiscal year 2022
  omnibus spend...
        
                
    Telemedicine Is Helping to Eliminate Racial Health Gaps
   
  
    
      
        
          
            
              
                February 8, 2022
              
            
          
        
        
          A new study from the University of Pennsylvania, 
          Association of Telemedicine with Primary Care
          Appointment Ac...
        
                
    Bills Requiring Mental Health Programs at Colleges/Universities Moves through
  A1176/S503,
  which requires institutions of higher education to implement
  suicide prevention programs and raise awareness of mental health
  services, was introduced in the State Legislature on January 31,
  2022. It has moved through the Assembly Higher Education
  Committee, and has been ref...
        
                
    Experts Cautiously Optimistic about the COVID-19 Pandemic’s Path
  February 1, 2022
  Dr. Aaron Glatt, a spokesman for the Infectious Diseases Society
  of America and Chair of Medicine at Mount Sinai South Nassau on
  Long Island, is among those who believe, at least for the New
  Jersey and New York metro region, that there will be a return to
  a relative s...
        
                
    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...
        
                
    

