The Paterson Healthy Mothers/Healthy Babies Coalition (HMHB) is an affiliate of the Northern NJ Maternal/Child Consortium. The Paterson HM/HB Coalition initiates programs that bring women into prenantal care and infants into pediatric care. The organization's mission is to improve access to quality and risk appropriate health services for women and children through advocacy, program development, and community education. The Coalition also addresses low birth weight and high Black infant mortality, collaborating with St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Barnert Hospital, St. Joseph's Wayne Family Health Center, Paterson Counseling Center and the Paterson Community Health Center to identify women and infants delinquent in their scheduled care plan. The Paterson HM/HB coordinates efforts with local community-based organizations with specialty expertise in the areas of community outreach, to develop other worthwhile programs to address unmet needs. The Coalition provides bimonthly educational services to its General Membership.
Paterson HM/HB Programs
Paterson Healthy Families
The Paterson Healthy Families Program reaches out to women in the city of Paterson to strengthen their families. The primary goals of the program are to increase healthy child development, to prevent child abuse and neglect, to increase the rate of immunization, to ensure early identification of developmental delays, to prevent out-of-home placements, and to link families to community health and social services. Women are screened for risk while in prenatal care and meet on a pre-determined schedule with a Family Support Worker. The Family Support Worker provides emotional, social, and practical support to the women in the program. Families are provided on site computer services, family literacy services.
Enrollment program for NJKidCare Program
Outreach workers will locate and educate families with eligible children and to assist the families to enroll in NJKidCare, a comprehensive and affordable health coverage program for children in New Jersey.
Safe Haven
Provides bilingual outreach and education about the "Safe Haven Infant Protection Act" to english and non-english residents in Passaic county. The Safe Haven Infant Protection Act allows women who are unable to, or choose not to keep their baby (less than 30 days of age) at any hospital emergency room or police station without fear of prosecution.
Safety Net of Paterson
This program, developed and operated by the Paterson Healthy Mother/Healthy Babies Coalition, specifically addresses low birth weight and high Black infant mortality in the city of Paterson. This is a collaborative patient retrieval effort with St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Barnert Hospital, Paterson Counseling Center, St. Joseph's Wayne Family Health Center and the Paterson Community Health Center. The PHM/HB Outreach Worker assists the aforementioned perinatal and pediatric health care providers in locating women and infants [Paterson residents] identified as delinquent in their scheduled care plan. The Outreach Worker has been successful in locating women residing in Paterson.
"Comenzando Bien"
(Good Beginning) The PHM/HB assists in locating Hispanic women and infants and provides prenatal education. The program addresses the unique needs of Hispanic women and their families. It provides participants with information about the steps they can take to help their babies get a healthy start in life.
Teen Health Fair
This day long event is a part of the Paterson Public Schools Health Class curriculum and provides a dynamic learning opportunity for students and community agencies. Using a festive health fair style environment, the Paterson Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition, Inc. Annual Teen Health Fair/Game of Life educates over 5,000 high school students through demonstrations, exhibits and teaching games. Over forty area agencies set up booths during the day long event. The purpose of this program is to encourage adolescents to develop healthy lifestyles and teach them how to cope with health and social problems through an awareness of community resources. "The Game of Life" is designed to teach adolescents better decision making skills while introducing them to a wide range of community services.
Teen Resource Guide / Teen Awareness Day
Teens can better deal with and make wise choices about the issues that confront them when real information is at their disposal. Information is power and teens are smart enough to draw strength from information. It is most often the lack of information and the fear that results from the lack of information that disables teens leaving them vulnerable. Focus groups and Teen Summits convened in Paterson, New Jersey indicated that although school resources existed, they were not being utilized by those most in need. Additionally, it was indicated by the teens that they had no idea where to obtain help in the community when needed.
The resulting Teen Resource Guide has proven to be invaluable for teens in crisis and is used in conjunction with Teen Awareness Day events, sponsored in partnership with the Paterson Public Schools.
WHO TO CONTACT
HM/HB of Paterson
HM/HB Coalition Office
660 Broadway, 2nd Floor
Paterson, NJ 07514 Contact:
Marie Kinsella
(973) 881-6927
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