Michelle Garcia, Coordinator of the CTC Newark initiative, welcomes orientation attendees.
The RWJBarnabas Health Institute for Prevention and Recovery and Newark community leaders recently launched the Communities That Care (CTC) initiative, a 10-year process that engages communities across the country through evidence-based strategies that reduce levels of youth problems and helps them thrive.
Newark key leaders in attendance included Essex County Freeholder Wayne Richardson, Newark Council President Mildred Crump, Newark school board members as well as youth and religious leaders. Michellene Davis, Esq., Executive Vice President and Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, RWJBarnabas Health, also attended, providing opening remarks and thanking members of the Newark leadership community for attending.
“Engaging the Newark leadership community was the first step to launching Communities That Care in Newark,” said Lynda Lloyd, Social Impact Manager at the Institute for Prevention and Recovery. “The Newark Key Leaders will be critical to the CTC process by co-designing the changes they want to make in the community.”
The Communities That Care initiative is a component of the RWJBarnabas Health Social Impact and Community Investment Practice (SICI), focused on addressing the social, economic and environmental conditions that contribute to poor health outcomes, reduced life expectancy and higher costs. This initiative in particular begins with a youth survey to identify a community’s risks and strengths. Based on the data, CTC helps communities select and implement evidence based prevention programs and policies in addition to amplifying programs already working in the community.
RWJBH’s SICI practice takes a unique collective impact approach to building communities’ whole health, and a key driver of the system’s mission. A wide spectrum of initiatives, including this CTC initiative, are being co-designed alongside communities within the RWJBH footprint, aimed at eliminating health care disparities and addressing social determinants of health.
Michellene Davis, Esq., Executive Vice President and Chief Corporate Affairs Office greets Institute for Prevention and Recovery staff.
Lynda Lloyd, Manager of the Communities That Care Newark initiative, gives an overview of the CTC process.
Michellene Davis, Esq., Executive Vice President and Chief Corporate Affairs Office, thanks attendees and provides an overview of the system-wide RWJBarnabas Health Social Impact and Community Investment Practice.
Connie Greene, Vice President, provides an overview of the Institute for Prevention and Recovery.
Newark community leaders engage with each other while learning more about the CTC process.
About the Institute for Prevention and Recovery
The RWJBarnabas Health Institute for Prevention and Recovery is a leader in the state for prevention, intervention and substance use disorder recovery services. Through comprehensive recovery programs, the Institute for Prevention and Recovery creates real change by facilitating effective, long-term recovery for individuals suffering from the disease of addiction. The Institute is also recognized for training and educational programs, serving schools, hospitals and communities throughout New Jersey. For more information, visit rwjbh.org/preventionandrecovery.