Healthcare Interventions Are Needed In South Jersey: Here's Why

CAMDEN COUNTY, NJ — Researchers are taking a closer look at the health and well-being of residents around South Jersey after new projects that were led by leaders at Rowan University and Rutgers University Camden.

The 2026 Impact Report from the South Jersey Institute for Population Health shared with Patch brought together the educational facilities, government representatives, and community organizations in a joint effort to understand medical issues directly affecting the region.

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"The health outcomes for southern NJ remain a concern as our population continues to rank below national and state statistics for many health indicators," Dr. Nicole A. Vaughn and Dr. Stephen Danley, co-leads on the project, said.

Chronic disease rates, substance abuse, mental health, and maternal and child health are at the center of the factors contributing to the decline in health and well-being.

Limited transportation options in certain areas, access to health care, employment hurdles, and lack of affordable housing are also responsible for the results.

The study was directed at serving eight major categories of populations: adolescents with asthma, critically ill patients, Filipino American women, healthcare providers, individuals with mental health challenges, individuals who have been hurt by firearms, low-income populations, and patients with heart failure.

Among the outcomes taken into consideration were programs like the "Effective Mental and Behavioral Health Emergency Diversion" that help law enforcement in Millville safely manage crises and be better equipped on when to use force or incarceration.

After early periods of use, the homeless community in particular showed considerable pattern changes when interacting with law enforcement.

This included more than 25 new clients from calls for service by law enforcement and another 25 clients from those who walked in on their own for help.

Across the fields of study, the major takeaway was the need for a holistic approach to positively influence health outcomes.

This means incorporating a plan for patients from the start of their journey that addresses adjacent issues like transportation, funding, and child care that hold residents back from treatment.

"These types of 'soft' interventions are often the first programs cut from schools, municipal budgets, or hospitals in times of austerity," according to the report.

Across South Jersey, the group looked at holistic interventions that have made a difference throughout the region already as evidence in support of their findings.

This showcased telehealth advances for families and patients at Cooper University Health, the expansion of mobile community health units so workers can reach residents where they are, and university-backed analysis of chronic instability from events like gun violence that leads to perpetuated risks for other health issues down the line.

A total of 10 projects spread across the region were supported by $362,000 in "Cycle 2" grant funding in 2022 and contributed to this second edition of the Impact Report.

The South Jersey Institute of Public Health is looking to move these findings into practice and ultimately policy changes in the region.

The full findings of the project will be available for wide viewing on Friday afternoon.

Check back for a link from Patch to access the 28-page report.

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