Global Health

Global Health begins within our borders. As our world becomes more connected, no institution or community is an island unto itself. Our local communities are made up of multi-ethnic and multicultural citizens and their families and peers which connect us with communities abroad. Achieving health equity for all is a guiding priority and core value we share with our community partners near and far. RWJBarnabas Health seeks to advance its mission to create health equity in a “glocal” manner - both globally and locally in a coordinated measure.

“Our local communities are made up of multi-ethnic and multi-cultural citizens and their families and peers which connect us with communities abroad.”

RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers University work together to enhance research and medical and health professional education, address inequities in health care, and eliminate health disparities in New Jersey and targeted global communities. We advocate for holistic, multi-agency approaches to global health issues leveraging our diverse professional backgrounds to enhance education and training, support and implement research, build strategic partnerships and initiatives, and raise the visibility and impact of global health work across RWJBarnabas Health.

The RWJBarnabas Health Global Health vision is a world where health and well being for all is ensured through equitable, inclusive and sustainable services, policies, and investments. RWJBH global health strives to improve the health of the most vulnerable communities locally and globally. Through an academic partnership with the Rutgers Global Health Institute, we advance collaborative research with domestic and international partners, build community driven partnerships, and expand global health education to eliminate health disparities and promote health equity for all. We use the power of our collective voice to improve global health and well-being through informed services, policies, and investments. The global health practice:

• Oversees the system’s global health outreach efforts, which include international and domestic disaster response.
• Spearheads professional development for system physicians and clinicians interested in participating in global health initiatives.
• Collaborates with domestic and international global health programs at universities, NGOs, government agencies, private foundations.
• Facilitates operational research by RWJBH and RBHS on health programs in vulnerable communities in the U.S. and targeted global regions.
• Creates opportunities for mutual knowledge exchange between clinicians and allied staff in the regions targeted for research.
• Spearheads the identification of new academic issues that contribute to academic knowledge on global health topics.
• Serves as a convener and catalyst between clinicians, non-clinicians, trainees, and administrators for interdisciplinary dialogues on emerging global health issues.
• Provide employees with opportunities to use their skills and interests to improve health, well-being and quality of life of the communities they serve.

GOAL 1
Develop an integrated, system-wide global health operational infrastructure.

The system needs to have the operational infrastructure to support its global health work. Therefore, the practice is establishing the necessary structure, philanthropic funding, and operational supports to ensure capacity to carry the global health mission forward.

1. Manage RBHS/RWJBH global health working group focused on disasters, community health and resiliency, as evidenced by system-wide capabilities to address global health priorities and effective global health operations.
2. Create active interdisciplinary Global Health Clinical Councils at each RWJBH facility to determine global health priorities and help implement framework for each facility, as evidenced by the number of active councils.
3. Design and implement a global health development (fundraising) plan to support the long-term research mission of the practice, as evidenced by dedicated funding for global health initiatives.
   • Cultivate funders interested in global health and develop proposals seeking external foundation support.
   • Create social impact scholarship awards at each facility for residents to participate in global health activities.

GOAL 2
Foster community resilience and disaster preparedness in targeted global communities. Community resilience is a public health approach to public health emergency preparedness and response grounded in equity and social justice considerations.

As global health continues its efforts related to disaster relief and recovery, it is also turning its attention to resilience and preparedness, in an effort to build healthy, equitable and sustainable communities both in New Jersey and throughout the world. Mental health and substance use is a particular concern and the promotion, protection and restoration of mental health can be regarded as a vital foundation for psychosocial resilience of individuals, communities and societies throughout the world.

1. Provide outreach to one community in Puerto Rico that focuses on training programs that address Mental Health and Psychological First Aid and Trauma-Informed Care by leveraging different methods of dissemination including in-person or through tele-psychology and smartphone-based emergency apps supported by solar powering units in the target communities, in collaboration with key partners including Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care, Rutgers University School of Social Work, Rutgers University Graduate School of Applied Sciences, Rutgers University School of Public Affairs and Administration, and local mental health care providers.
   • Provide technical assistance to the expansion of the volunteer community-run feeding program in Las Carolinas modeled after the Meals on Wheels program at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center.
2. Using the Dominican Republic as a proof of concept community, understand how collaborative care models can be implemented in low resource settings to inform RWJBH care delivery to similarly situated, resource deprived New Jersey communities.
   • Implement a two-week pilot, in the community of Moca, to co-design initiatives that aim to better integrate care for local resourced strapped residents with chronic physical and behavioral health needs, in partnership with clinicians, students and faculty from Pontifica Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM), volunteer RWJBH clinicians, students and faculty from RWJ Medical School, Rutgers Graduate School of Professional Psychology Doctoral students, and faculty from Rutgers University.
3. Participate in a Rutgers University-funded research study entitled “Building Capacity for Integrated Mental Care in the Dominican Republic.”

GOAL 3
Develop a skilled global health practice able to respond to domestic and international disasters by establishing criteria for RWJBH global disaster and recovery designation and response as evidenced by the number of supplies and medical equipment donated to medical missions; amount of pharmaceuticals donated to medical missions; improved relationships with domestic and international partners.

The creation of protocols for system designation of “sanctioned missions” will assist the system in expeditiously responding to various global health mission requests, both locally and globally. Global Health will also develop resources for RWJBH employees and affiliates seeking to engage global health initiatives outside of the SICI practice.

1. Create RWJBH policy for “sanctioned” missions.
2. Develop policies and procedures for procurement of supplies/medical equipment for medical mission outreach through partnerships with Medshare.
3. Develop policies and procedures for procurement of pharmaceuticals for medical mission outreach through partnerships with MAP International and Dispensary of Hope.
4. Advocate for sound federal and state policies to eliminate barriers to international donations.