NJAMHAA Testifies to DHS on FY2021 Budget
December 6, 2019
Earlier this month, Mary Abrams, NJAMHAA Sr. Policy Analyst,
testified before Department of Human Services (DHS) Commissioner
Carole Johnson and her leadership team at DHS' budget listening
session, which provides the opportunity for advocates, providers,
family members and any member of the public to share their
funding priorities for the Department's fiscal year 2021 budget
(begins 7/1/2020). In its oral testimony, NJAMHAA highlighted the
need for:
• Rates that cover the actual costs of providing services
• Increases to be able to better recruit and retain a qualified
workforce and avoid wage compression in light of minimum wage
increases
• Capital funding to support integrated care and electronic
health record systems
• Fee-for-service supplemental funding to fill deficits while
rates are studied
• Inflationary indexing of rates going forward.
NJAMHAA's written testimony provided more background as well as
additional priorities, including finalizing work with the
Department of Children and Families to increase the children's
psychiatric assessment rate and establishing and funding a
sustainability plan for Certified Community Behavioral Health
Clinics.
