Make the Road NJ

Our first grant in 2019 funded two healthcare promotoras – Spanish-speaking community health workers – to promote access to healthcare to immigrants in Newark’s Ironbound and North Ward areas. Through street outreach and group events, promotoras educated immigrants on their health rights, enrolled them in free or affordable insurance, and navigated clients access to complicated and often complex network of health services. During the pandemic, outreach pivoted to texting, telephone and social media support, enabling a wide scale response.  Promotoras helped families that were sick isolate more safely, assisted workers in obtaining+

In 2022 HFNJ funds shifted to support mental health services, due to the overwhelming unmet need. Based on the promising results of a small pilot program with Rutgers University that was funded by other sources, HFNJ supported the agency in hiring its first licensed bilingual social worker to run support groups, provide 1:1 consultation, and facilitate referrals and other crucial advocacy – such as for victims of domestic violence. As part of this grant promotoras began promoting mental health awareness in the community. This new role now included conducting brief intakes and connecting those in need to the program and social worker.

In the first year of the program, the social worker had led six free groups for about 8-12 weeks each in conjunction with two MSW interns from Rutgers University School of Social Work – a first – and external providers. Groups focused on parents, women, and youth; some were held in person and others online. A total of 60 individuals participated and found comfort and stigma-free opportunities to seek help through peer support, 1:1 consultation which every participant received from the social worker, and warm hands-offs to referrals for 76 individuals. Of these 17 are in treatment and between 30-40 are on waiting lists. Five workshops engaged 42 individuals who were introduced to the themes of mental health and wellness. Staff received support as well in areas such as secondary trauma and meditation. More than 1,000 immigrant low-income families have thus far benefited.

A client’s story:

Cynthia was a victim of sexual assault in her job and was referred to Make the Road NJ to assist her with a legal case against her employer, who neglected to protect her. She was experiencing PTSD and insomnia. MRNJ’s social worker connected the client to a therapist and its support group for victims of sexual assault. In the beginning of the group, it was difficult for Cynthia to open up due to feeling unvalidated and unheard from her coworkers and friends after opening up about her experience. However, through MRNJ’s embroidery activity – in which women in the group learn to embroider in a group setting – Cynthia opened up slowly while telling her story through the art of embroidery. Cynthia explained her journey and the people around her who helped strengthen her, such as the women in the group and her children. Overall, Cynthia explained that this group helped her to feel heard and be understood through spending time with women who have had similar experiences. Cynthia also was able to access outpatient therapy on a regular basis.