Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences Selected to Lead One of Ten Community Coalitions to Receive Portion of $2 Million in Grants from New Jersey Health Initiatives

Newark, N.J. (July 14, 2015) – A coalition led by Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences (RBHS) announced today that it has been awarded one of 10, four-year, $200,000 grants from New Jersey Health Initiatives (NJHI), a statewide grantmaking program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). The grant funds support multi-sector, community-focused coalitions under NJHI: Building a Culture of Health in New Jersey – Communities Moving to Action, an initiative to strengthen communities across New Jersey to make sustainable system changes and policy-oriented, long-term solutions for healthier living.

Denise V. Rodgers, Vice Chancellor for Interprofessional Programs at RBHS, the health sciences division of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is the principal investigator of the RBHS grant, titled “Believe in a Healthy Newark.” Other coalition partners and their leaders are: Monique Baptiste-Good, Project Director, Strong Healthy Communities Initiative; Vivian Cox Fraser, President & CEO, Urban League of Essex County; Khaatim Sherrer El, Executive Director, South Ward Children’s Alliance; and Rhonda Lewis, Senior Program Officer, LISC Greater Newark. Roland Anglin, PhD, director of the Joseph C. Cornwell Center at Rutgers University–Newark, will serve as the coalition coach.

“This grant provides an exciting opportunity for our coalition to partner with community residents, the business community, other community based organizations and city government as we strive to create a culture of health in Newark,” Dr. Rodgers said.

Spanning the full geography of the Garden State – from Morristown and Orange in the north to Salem and Atlantic City in the south – the 10 recipients will serve as laboratories for innovative approaches to sustaining healthy communities.

“Building a culture of health at the community level requires collaboration – individual groups can’t solve health challenges working in isolation,” said NJHI Director Bob Atkins, PhD, RN, FAAN. “We’ve found that communities across New Jersey are already forming coalitions of diverse organizations, including hospital systems, local health and human service agencies, schools, businesses, elected officials, public health officers, and engaged citizens. We’re hoping to add to the long-term strength of those community coalitions through not just funding, but also training and coaching.”

Grant funded communities have received $50,000 for their first year, with an additional $150,000 granted in total over the final three grant years (provided the coalition members raise at least $35,000 in matching funding during the final two years of the initiative). During the first year, teams from each coalition will participate in a Boundary Spanning Leadership Institute to develop tools and build skills to work on multi-faced community issues, culminating in the development of an action plan to collectively address the most pressing needs of their community.

The other nine coalitions NJHI selected for this initiative are led by the following organizations:

· AtlantiCare Foundation – Atlantic City

· City of Jersey City – Jersey City

· North Jersey Health Collaborative – Morristown

· Orange Public Schools – Orange

· Township of Irvington – Irvington

· United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern NJ – Camden

· United Way of Salem County – Salem

· YMCA of Eastern Union County – Elizabeth

· YMCA of Trenton – Trenton

These 10 projects were selected to encompass a diverse group based on their location in the state, whether urban or rural, and which populations they serve.

The NJHI: Building a Culture of Health in New Jersey – Communities Moving to Action project is aligned with the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps model. That program – a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute – ranks health based on four factor areas: health behaviors, clinical care, social and economic factors, and the physical environment.

“This program aligns perfectly with the Foundation’s vision of working with others to build a Culture of Health and is a great way to get communities right here in our home state of New Jersey already focusing on health working together,” explained Marco Navarro, senior program officer, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “We believe in the power of collaboration to create true systemic change and make the healthy choice the easy choice for everyone. We hope this program, along with others like our annual Culture of Health prize and Roadmaps to Health, will help to highlight communities that can serve as best practices for others across the country.”

Visit countyhealthrankings.org for much more information on which specific factors help to make communities healthier places to live, learn, work and play, and how other communities can request Roadmaps to Health coaching. You can learn more about the grant requirements here njhi.org/sites/default/files/njhi-2015-coh-cfp_0.pdf, or visit njhi.org/how-to-apply/faq for Frequently Asked Questions. Participate in the online conversation with the hashtag #CultureofHealth.

About Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences

Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences (RBHS) takes an integrated approach to educating students, providing clinical care, and conducting research, all with the goal of improving human health. Aligned with Rutgers University–New Brunswick, and collaborating university-wide, RBHS includes eight schools, a behavioral health network, and four centers and institutes. RBHS offers an outstanding education in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, public health, nursing, biomedical research, and the full spectrum of allied health careers. RBHS clinical and academic facilities are located throughout the state—at Rutgers University–New Brunswick, including Piscataway; and at locations in Newark, Scotch Plains, Somerset, Stratford, and other locations. Clinical partners include Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, Newark’s University Hospital in Newark, and other affiliates. For more information, visit http://rbhs.rutgers.edu. Follow RBHS on Twitter at @RBHSNews or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RutgersBiomedicalAndHealthSciences.

About New Jersey Health Initiatives

New Jersey Health Initiatives is a statewide grantmaking program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Established in 1987 in honor of the New Jersey philanthropic legacy of RWJF’s founder, Robert Wood Johnson, NJHI supports innovations and drives conversations to build healthier communities through grantmaking across the State of New Jersey. To meet the many health needs of our state’s diverse populations, regions and communities, the NJHI program encourages collaboration across sectors to foster deep relationships committed to long-term change affording all New Jerseyans the opportunity to live the healthiest life possible. Learn more about NJHI at www.njhi.org, and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/NJHI_.

About the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is the largest private foundation in New Jersey and the nation’s largest philanthropy working to improve the health and health care of all. The Foundation is striving to build a national Culture of Health that will enable all to live longer, healthier lives now and for generations to come. RWJF has invested more than $1.2 billion in New Jersey since 1972. For more information, visit http://www.rwjf.org/nj. Follow the Foundation on Twitter at http://www.rwjf.org/twitter or on Facebook at http://www.rwjf.org/facebook.