More than $13 million in grants will be distributed to New Jersey community health centers, maternal and child health consortia, local health departments and social services agencies, the Christie Administration announced today. The grants are designed to ensure women get the health services they need to maintain their health, have a positive pregnancy and a healthy baby.

The $13.5 million will be provided over three years to hire community health workers, who will work to enroll women of childbearing age and high-risk pregnant women into appropriate care. Once enrolled, the women will be evaluated for eligibility within other assistance programs.

"This program takes a comprehensive approach to serving this vulnerable population by also connecting them to safety net programs such as Medicaid, Head Start, Family Success Centers and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to improve outcomes for the mother and her family," said Department of Health Commissioner Mary O'Dowd, who made the grant announcement at Southern Jersey Family Medical Center in Burlington City. "Evidence shows that improving a woman's health before pregnancy can greatly impact the health of her newborn."

First-year funding to hire community health workers totals $3.6 million and will be distributed to the following agencies:

  • Southern Jersey Family Medical Center which will serve both Atlantic and Burlington counties ($600,000)
  • Southern New Jersey Perinatal Cooperative, Camden County ($300,000)
  • Cumberland County Health Department, Cumberland County ($300,000)
  • Statewide Parent Advocacy Network, Essex County ($300,000)
  • The Partnership for Maternal and Child Health of Northern New Jersey which will serve Hudson, Passaic and Union counties ($900,000)
  • Children's Futures, Mercer County ($300,000)
  • Central Jersey Family Health Consortium, Middlesex County ($300,000)
  • Visiting Nurse Association of Central New Jersey, Monmouth County ($300,000)
  • Zufall Health Center, Morris County ($150,000)
  • The Children's Home Society, Ocean County ($150,000)

First year funding for central intake projects totals $800,000, with each grantee receiving $100,000 per project:

  • Southern New Jersey Perinatal Cooperative, Atlantic and Camden counties ($200,000)
  • Burlington County Community Action Program, Burlington County ($100,000)
  • The Partnership for Maternal and Child Health of Northern New Jersey, which will serve both Hudson and Union Counties ($200,000)
  • Children's Futures, Mercer County ($100,000)
  • Central Jersey Family Health Consortium, which will serve both Monmouth and Ocean counties ($200,000)

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