$5M For Newark Hospital Will Target Racial ‘Disparities’ In Area

NEWARK, NJ — Newark Beth Israel Medical Center recently received a $5 million grant to roll out a program that will “reduce health disparities among Black, African American, Hispanic and Latinx communities” in several New Jersey counties, administrators said.

According to Newark Beth Israel, the five-year program will help the hospital improve health outcomes and prevent chronic diseases for its target patients, who experience the highest rates of chronic disease in Newark.

The program’s initiatives will be expanded to Essex, Union, Hudson, Middlesex and Ocean counties over the five-year period, administrators at the RWJBarnabas Health facility said.

The funding stems from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) program.

Some of the “proven public health strategies” that the hospital and RWJBarnabas Health will be taking include:

• “Promoting food access and nutrition guidelines”
• “Expanding fruit and vegetable voucher incentive programs at The Beth Greenhouse and the Newark Beth Israel Medical Center Women’s Wellness Pantry”
• “Producing medically tailored meal programs for those living with chronic health conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity/overweight”
• “Expansion of Newark Beth Israel’s nationally recognized KidsFit Nutrition education program to additional New Jersey schools”

“Over the years, we have created many programs and outreach initiatives aimed at improving access to health care and improving health outcomes for the many communities that we serve,” president and CEO Darrell Terry Sr. said.

“The REACH program will greatly enhance our efforts and allow us to continue to address health care disparities in a meaningful way,” Terry added.

• See Related: Newark Hospital Hits Big Milestone For $150M Expansion Project
• See Related: Hospital In Newark's South Ward Praised For 'Racial Inclusivity'
• See Related: Newark Hospital's Famed Greenhouse Gets Visit From NJ Devils
  

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