NORWESCAP and Jewish Family Services Present Senior Reach

Northwest New Jersey Community Action Partnership (NORWESCAP) is pleased to announce a new partnership with Jewish Family Service of MetroWest (JFS) to launch Senior Reach, a nationally recognized evidence based program designed to reach socially isolated seniors in need of services required to combat declining mental health. Senior Reach will be implemented in Essex, Morris, and Sussex Counties, after having a positive reception in the counties of its origin state of Colorado. The partnership recently received a grant from the Grotta Fund for Senior Care, an Advisory Council Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater MetroWest NJ, in support of the Senior Reach project.

Senior Reach’s implementation in other areas has prompted a 93% engagement rate and an overwhelming 87% of participants reporting its positive impact. Therefore, NORWESCAP and JFS are confident in the program’s ability to continue the positive impact through community services and an available licensed clinical social worker. Senior Reach is composed of three steps: community education and outreach, screening, and referral services.

The first component, Community Education, will engage community members by training individuals on identifying seniors at-risk of various forms of declining mental health or experiencing signs of distress.

Screening, the second component, is comprised of trained volunteers who manage the Senior Reach call center referral line. After gathering basic information from an individual or a community partner, the volunteer contacts the older adult to determine what needs he or she may have; be it transportation, medication, or recreation concerns.

The last step involves referrals to services appropriate for the seniors’ needs. One component involves volunteers contacting community resources, such as local senior centers and connecting them with the seniors in need or a call for a home visit from the social worker on call.

If you are an interested community partner, volunteer or a senior in need of services in Morris or Sussex Counties, please call NORWESCAP’s Senior Reach call center at 973-784-4900 x 3503 or 1-888-387-9830 x 3503 to get started. If you are an interested community partner, volunteer or a senior in need of services in Essex County, please call JFS’s Senior Reach call center at 973-637-1740.

If you would like more information about Senior Reach call Nancy Hess at 973-784-4900 x 208 or hessn@norwescap.org

Senior Reach is made possible by financial assistance from the Corporation for National & Community Service and the Grotta Fund for Senior Care of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater MetroWest NJ.

Jewish Family Service of MetroWest is a comprehensive social service agency providing mental health counseling and support services on a non-discriminatory basis. With a presence in the community since 1861, JFS today delivers an expanding number of programs to increasing numbers of people. For children and families, JFS provides individual, couple, child and family counseling, play therapy, support groups, school and synagogue based social work services, family life education and other assistance needed to support healthy families. Rachel Coalition, a division of JFS, provides domestic violence services for all affected members of the family. JFS also offers a wide range of services for older adults and their families including case management services, counseling, caregiver education, volunteer friendly visitors and specialized programs for Holocaust survivors. For more information about Jewish Family Service, please call (973) 765-9050 or visit www.jfsmetrowest.org.

The Northwest NJ Community Action Partnership (NORWESCAP) was incorporated by local citizens in 1965 and is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2015. NORWESCAP provides a range of programs and services that have increased self-reliance for over 35,000 under-resourced persons in Hunterdon, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex and Warren Counties. With an administrative cost of less than 5%, the agency manages over $35 million from 60 different sources, plus investments from over 300 community partners. A diverse 15 member Board of Trustees, 250 employees and 1400 volunteers are dedicated to our mission: “strengthening communities by creating opportunities to impact poverty.”