Healing Homes
A Social Impact Community Investment Initiative
Pre-Screening Applications are now closed.
About Us: Healing Homes, A Social Impact and Community Investment Initiative is part of RWJBarnabas Health’s Social Impact and Community Investment (SICI) practice and is a continuation of the system’s efforts to support and collaborate on the provision of safe and affordable housing for those in need.
Social Impact and Community Investment
Socioeconomic, behavioral, and environmental factors affect 80% of all health outcomes. Social determinants such as diet, exercise, stress, sleep habits, housing quality, job status, personal safety and transportation, all play a role in our wellness.
RWJBarnabas Health is committed to being in and of the communities, we serve. In order to meet our goal to create healthier communities, we reach beyond the doors of our facilities to not only treat disease, but to help avert it. With the goal to improve health outcomes, promote health equity, and eliminate health care disparities, RWJBH has developed a strategy to proactively address the clinical and social factors that affect health outcomes.
Initiative Aim: Our aim is to promote housing stability and self-sufficiency through collaboration with community partners.
Initiative Goal: To provide temporary housing and various supportive services to an employed individual or family who has an illness that has contributed to financial hardship to become self-sufficient, financially stable and housed.”
Healing Homes is a transitional housing Initiative that allows individuals with an illness who cannot afford housing and their family to occupy a RWJUH Somerset residential home for no more than 24 months. Participants are responsible for the purchasing and preparing of all food, and for childcare and other living expenses. Through various community partners, the household receive services to enhance aspects of their lives, which allow them to become independent and self-sufficient.
To be approved into the transitional housing Initiative, the household must complete an pre-screening application. If determined potentially eligible from the pre-screening, applicants will be required to submit a full application, disclosing all household members’ income/debt. All applicants will be subject to credit and background checks. The application will be reviewed against RWJUH Somerset’s requirements for participation in the initiative. Once accepted, participants will get assistance with managing their finances, taking care of their health and regaining their independence. Participants will be required to do a drug test upon entry into Healing Homes and are subject to random drug testing during their participation in Healing Homes. Healing Homes Supportive Services: case management, financial coaching (budgeting assistance), credit counseling referrals, permanent, affordable housing location assistance, community resource referrals, life skills, medical services referrals if needed and mental health services referrals if needed.
Preference is given to Somerset County residents, especially those applicants who live in the towns listed below:
- Bound Brook
- Franklin
- Manville
- North Plainfield
- Somerville
- South Bound Brook
To be eligible for the initiative applicants must meet the requirements listed below…
- Unable to afford housing and/or basic cost of living
- Has an illness that has contributed to financial hardship
- Has limited access to health care
- Must be employed with steady income
- Earn below the HUD income guidelines
- Willingness to provide current tri merge credit report with credit scores
- Preferably resides in towns within Somerset County, NJ (Bound Brook, Franklin, Manville, North Plainfield, Somerville, and South Bound Brook) identified as having a median household income below the county average
- Demonstrates a willingness to improve their circumstances
All household incomes combined must be under the following HUD income limits for the household:
- 1 Person – Earns less than $73,400 per year
- 2 People – Combined income is less than $83,850 per year
- 3 People – Combined income is less than $94,350 per year
- 4 people – Combined income is less than $104,800 per year
While in the initiative, participants are required to…
- Maintain employment throughout the duration of being in the initiative
- Meet with case manager once a week
- Meet monthly with a financial coach to develop and follow a monthly household budget
- Apply for a Saving Match Program with Affinity FCU and/or Central Jersey Housing Resource Center.
- Deposit thirty percent (30%) of monthly income into a housing savings account with Affinity FCU
- Must share financials monthly with RWJS and financial coach
- Have a positive cash flow in checking account on a monthly basis
Community Partners & Resources
RWJUH Somerset collaborates with various organizations that provides various services to assist participants. These include, but are not limited to the following:
Affinity Federal Credit Union
Bonnie Brae
Central Jersey Housing Resource Center
EmPoWER Somerset
Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board
Habitat for Humanity
HOME of Somerset County
HomeSharing
Housing & Community Development Network of New Jersey
Norwescap
Safe and Sound
Somerset Community Action Program
Somerset County Board of Social Services
Somerset County Community Development
Somerset County Health Department & Housing Authority
Somerset County Human Services
Tri County CMO
United Way’s Alice Project of Northern NJ
Zarephath Christian Church
Contact Us: For more information about Healing Homes, please contact Cynthia Walker, LSW at 908-704-3746 or Cynthia.Walker2@rwjbh.org.
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