Participants from The Children’s Home Society of New Jersey’s CUNA Program.
Earlier this year, the Horizon Foundation for New Jersey was awarded a $25,000 grant to The Children’s Home Society of New Jersey (CHSofNJ) in support of a new initiative- the Trenton Women’s Health Literacy Project. The program will be delivered within CHSofNJ’s Maternal/Child Health, Family and Community Support Services and will supplement its existing services which include preconception, prenatal and postnatal programs.
The CHSofNJ Trenton Women’s Health Literacy Project, designed to improve access to health care resources for the county’s at risk female population, commenced on January 1, 2015, and will serve 1,000 low-income women and adolescent girls in Mercer County through 2015 and 2016. Services will be delivered in both English and Spanish at several community locations throughout the Mercer County.
Through a variety of confidential health examinations that will screen for pregnancy, substance abuse, domestic violence, depression and overall health, CHSofNJ women’s health advocates will identify appropriate health care linkages and introduce women to local health professionals. Connections will be made to community nutrition and health education services such as Rutgers Cooperative Extension; Jewish Family and Children’s Services; Womenspace; WIC; Henry J. Austin; and Horizon NJ Health. Pregnant women will be referred to CHSofNJ’s 36-hour prenatal health course.
In addition to fostering connections to a variety of skilled health professionals, CHSofNJ women’s health advocates will help participants complete the enrollment process for health insurance and assist in the scheduling of and preparation for appointments. Advocates will collaborate with community partners to provide thorough health education programs, engage women in effective health care services that are culturally and linguistically appropriate and support them to become informed health care advocates for themselves and their families.
