TRUE NORTH FOR VETERANS

The True North program at Atlantic Health helps men and women who have served in the military readjust to civilian life, whether it has been days, months or years since their discharge. Licensed clinicians help veterans and their family members overcome challenges affecting their goals, daily life and relationships. Therapy is available on an individual, couples or family basis in safe and confidential settings. And, through an extensive referral and patient advocacy service, Atlantic Health helps veterans and their loved ones navigate additional resources among local governments, schools, nonprofits and faith-based organizations -- creating a powerful behavioral health ecosystem built on compassion and collaboration.

Through this program, True North helps remove barriers to care, improve access and inspire hope and healing while strengthening collaboration among veteran service providers throughout the community.

SHINING A LIGHT ON MENTAL HEALTH

Mental health needs are too often shrouded in stigma, but Hackensack Meridian Health’s Jersey Shore University Medical Center is bringing mental health into the sunlight. Its annual Community Mental Health Fair, held in a local park, welcomes individuals and families to embrace their mental health. The hospital brings together 40 different community organizations in an event that’s equal parts health fair and block party, with food, music and vendors. Community members have opportunities to engage with community health workers and clinicians from the Psychiatry Residency Program at HMH in a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

This event demonstrates how physician- and community-led outreach can help reduce stigma, normalize conversations about mental health and connect local individuals and families with resources – before they reach a crisis.

MAMMOGRAPHY IN MOTION

University Hospital’s Mammography in Motion (MiM) is a community-based program that improves healthcare access through meaningful partnerships, trusting relationships and a mobile unit that meets community members where they live and work. Serving Essex County and neighboring municipalities, MiM focuses on uninsured and underinsured communities where language access, affordability and trust barriers contribute to delayed screening and follow-up.

MiM’s outreach model is built on a deliberate partnership strategy: health education and screening opportunities are placed within trusted community settings where residents already seek essential services and support. Partnerships are intentionally developed across three community access points: municipal health departments, faith-based organizations and food distribution sites and other community-based organizations.

From the hospital’s mobile mammography center, community members receive culturally responsive, multilingual education through one-on-one conversations; health screenings; and assistance from nurses and lay navigators for any recommended follow-up care. Approximately 21% of individuals screened require additional diagnostic testing, with a follow-up completion rate of nearly 90% - moving residents from uncertainty to informed action and ongoing engagement in their health.

DISPENSING HOPE IN SOUTH JERSEY

South Jersey residents who don’t have prescription coverage or cannot afford out-of-pocket medication costs have a place to turn through the Dispensary of Hope program at Inspira Health. The program helps bridge medication-access gaps for South Jersey residents who may otherwise struggle to obtain needed prescription medications.

Inspira partners with the nonprofit Dispensary of Hope to provide eligible patients access to free medications through Inspira’s retail pharmacies at Mullica Hill and Vineland. Individuals who meet program eligibility guidelines and lack adequate prescription coverage can receive medications from a defined formulary of available drugs.

The health system launched the program after its Community Health Needs Assessment identified medication access challenges, including medication-access deserts in some communities across Gloucester, Salem and Cumberland counties. By addressing financial barriers to medication access, the program supports continuity of care, advances health equity and may help reduce the risk of avoidable hospital readmissions and emergency department visits associated with patients being unable to obtain needed medications.

CARING FOR OUR BROTHERS

Engaging men in preventive health can be challenging, which is why trusted community partnerships play such an important role in reaching those who may be less likely to seek routine care. Valley Health System joins with Agape Christian Ministries Church in Paterson for an annual men’s health event – providing education, conversation and connection.

Valley team members shared practical information on stroke prevention, cancer screenings, diabetes prevention, mental health, stress management and sleep health. Through interactive activities and one-on-one discussions, attendees learned about stroke warning signs, recommended screenings, healthy lifestyle habits, sleep apnea and ways to better manage stress and overall wellness.

The event also highlighted the importance of routine screenings and early detection, particularly for conditions that disproportionately affect Black men, such as prostate cancer.

By partnering with trusted community organizations, Valley is helping expand access to culturally responsive health education and empowering men to take steps toward preventing chronic disease, improving health outcomes and living healthier lives.

DIABETES SUPPORT, CLOSE TO HOME

In New Jersey, an estimated 37% of adults are living with prediabetes – and most of them do not know it.

To help address this chronic disease, Bergen New Bridge Medical Center has partnered with the Diabetes Foundation to expand access to education, resources and support for underserved residents throughout Bergen County. Through this partnership, patients living with diabetes or prediabetes receive guidance and tools to better manage their health, make informed lifestyle choices and prevent complications.

The collaboration also strengthens community outreach efforts by bringing diabetes education and screening resources to health fairs and local events, helping reach people where they live and work. As a safety-net hospital, Bergen New Bridge recognizes that strong community partnerships are essential to improving health outcomes. Together with the Diabetes Foundation, the Medical Center is making a meaningful difference in the fight against chronic disease and building a healthier community for all.

FEEDING YOUNG MINDS

More than 40,000 Newark students now enjoy healthy fresh foods in the school cafeteria, thanks to a community collaboration from RWJBarnabas Heath, Newark Public Schools and the food service company Brigaid. Now in its second year, the initiative embeds highly trained professional chefs directly into Newark school cafeterias to work alongside district food service teams. The program is designed to provide more opportunities for nutritious, appealing meals prepared from scratch using fresh, New Jersey–grown fruits and vegetables, whole grains and high-quality ingredients.

The program ensures that all Newark students are now offered fresh, healthy, scratch-cooked meals at least once per week, with the goal of expanding to daily offerings.

Child food insecurity remains a significant public health challenge nationwide, particularly in underserved communities, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, with more than 13 million children lacking consistent access to enough nutritious food. About 84% of the district’s students rely on free and reduced-price school meals – which often make up half of their daily calories during the academic year.

STABLE HOUSING, BETTER HEALTH

Stable housing supports health, stability and long-term well-being and is a key priority within AtlantiCare’s Vision 2030 Serving Community strategic pillar. AtlantiCare’s strategy addresses immediate needs and expands long-term housing availability.

AtlantiCare is the state’s first and only health system credentialed through the Housing Supports Program. The health system works with all five of New Jersey’s Medicaid Managed Care Organizations to help individuals with Medicaid find and sustain secure housing. And it’s producing early impact: Since April 2026, the program has served more than 115 people in Atlantic and Cape May counties and helped 15 secure stable housing. Trained care managers provide similar support for people without Medicaid.

Additional housing support services include navigation, application assistance, employment and financial resource connections, utility referrals, budgeting and home-maintenance education.

AtlantiCare also expands local housing by supporting rehabilitation and construction through a community development corporation and partnerships with developers on larger projects. And, to support its own team members, the health system provides a down payment assistance program to help employees pursue homeownership.

FOOD FOR THE SOUL

After a hospital stay, proper nutrition is vital for healing and recovery, but nurses and social workers at Hunterdon Healthcare System identified a gap in food access for discharged patients. That discovery launched a new community partnership: the Food2You program.

Hunterdon works in tandem with the Flemington Area Food Pantry to identify homebound individuals in need of nutrition support and package nutritious groceries and personal care items, specifically tailored to the individual’s health needs.

Pantry volunteers, who refer to the clients as “neighbors,” deliver the food directly to the patient’s home. Over time, these volunteers build meaningful relationships, fostering trust and a sense of community. As a result, the program’s impact extends far beyond nutrition. Social isolation is a significant concern in rural Hunterdon County and is associated with increased stress, worsening vital signs and higher rates of depression and cardiovascular disease. The consistent presence of a trusted volunteer provides companionship, reassurance and a sense of belonging when it’s needed most.

‘BACK ON TRACK’ WITH HOUSING INITIATIVE

Two years ago, Vito Dambra was living in a Somerset County hotel with his teenage son. An auto technician for nearly 30 years, he was unable to work due to a spinal injury. He had lost his wife in 2018 after a two-year illness. After falling behind on his bills, he had lost his townhome in Somerset and was homeless.

Thanks to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) Somerset’s Healing Homes transitional housing program, the 54-year-old father of three found a part-time job, paid off his debts, improved his credit score and saved enough money to buy a new home in Pennsylvania near his adult son.

“The Healing Homes program gave me a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and put me back on the right track,” Dambra said. “I will be forever grateful.”

Launched in 2019 as part of RWJBarnabas Health’s Social Impact and Community Investment Practice, the hospital provides two homes in Somerville for Somerset County individuals or families who have an illness that has contributed to financial hardship and are unable to afford housing. A case manager works with the families to refer them to resources to help them manage their health issues and address needs such as employment, transportation and social services, with the goal of helping them transition to permanent housing within 18 to 24 months.

STOPPING STILLBIRTHS

New Jersey loses 633 babies a year on average to stillbirth. To help educate expectant parents, Saint Peter’s University Hospital has embraced Count the Kicks, an evidence-based stillbirth prevention program that educates expectant parents about the importance of paying attention to their baby’s movements in the third trimester of pregnancy. As a Count the Kicks Champion, Saint Peter’s educates expectant parents and community members – in coordination with their healthcare teams – on how to track their baby’s “normal” movement in the womb. If the baby’s pattern changes in the last months of pregnancy, this could be a sign of potential problems, and parents are encouraged and empowered to report it to their healthcare provider.

Count the Kicks is just part of a full slate of education programs Saint Peter’s provides to new and experienced parents – and grandparents and siblings as well. It’s all part of the hospital’s commitment “to welcome healthy babies into the arms of their loving parents,” said Pam Harmon, DNP, RN, director of the Women and Children’s Division.

HELP FOR OPIOID-DEPENDENT WOMEN

For My Baby and Me is a specialized opioid treatment program to support opioid-dependent pregnant women and their infants - developed by Capital Health in a true community collaboration with partners from Catholic Charities Diocese of Trenton, HomeFront, Inc., the Rescue Mission of Trenton, and The Trenton Health Team. The program provides a comprehensive range of services encompassing substance use disorder treatment, prenatal and postpartum medical/obstetric care and recovery support.

But the support doesn’t stop there. The program offers a myriad of services aimed at addressing social determinants that would otherwise act as barriers to these women successfully obtaining treatment. Beyond direct medical care, the partnership helps participants access temporary housing, education support, employment readiness and training, food, clothing and childcare to ensure a holistic approach to recovery and support.

SUPPORTING INFORMED AND EMPOWERED SENIORS

Healthy aging is a choice that requires nurturing of the body, mind and spirit. That’s the premise behind the Better Health Program at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton. This free membership for individuals ages 65 and older offers an array of programs that combine health education with social interaction for a coordinated approach to wellness.

Lunch-and-learn events, led by geriatric and internal medicine clinicians, address issues such as heart health, memory exercises, healthy eating and the popular Medication Brown Bag – a personalized safety check review to ensure proper usage of prescriptions and other meds. The program also empowers seniors in their daily lives, with programs on computers, devices and technology, along with ways to spot common scams that target older adults.

Healthy aging is more than growing older. For participants of this vibrant program, it means staying connected, informed and empowered to live life to the fullest.