Healthcare professionals across central New Jersey came together on April 15, 2024, for a new comprehensive perinatal bereavement training aimed at supporting their ability to provide compassionate care and support to families experiencing perinatal loss.

Whether it’s a few hours or a long commitment, volunteering not only supports those around you, but positively influences you as well. Here’s six ideas to get started.

The arts play a vital role in our society. In fact, without the arts, much of our history, expression and culture would be virtually nonexistent.

CJFHC's Black Maternal Health Conference, organized by Healthy Women, Healthy Families on April 18, 2024, focuses on "Turning up the Volume by Partnering with a Purpose" to address critical issues surrounding Black maternal health, coinciding with the 7th annual Black Maternal Health Week aimed at amplifying Black voices and advocating for change.

Join Connecting NJ and the Brain Injury Alliance of NJ for an insightful discussion on April 17 at 1 pm to learn practical tips for safety in the home and take proactive steps towards minimizing the risk of accidents and injuries.

Join Connecting NJ's Early Childhood Specialist's on April 22, 2024 at 1pm to learn what these behaviors mean and helpful strategies to comfort your child help them build the foundation for emotional regulation while also acquiring tools to manage your own emotions.

Meditation is powerful. If you’re unsure whether or not the practice is worth looking into, check out these top ways meditation can help improve your life.

Mark your calendars for the next Milk Down Monday event! Hosted by the Healthy Women Healthy Families program, this event will give you the tools you need to build healthier lifestyle habits.

Turns out, regular writing and keeping a journal actually has a lot of surprising mental and emotional health benefits. Today, we’re going to check them out.

On March 21, 2024, CJFHC’s Pregnancy and Parenting Wellness program and Family Connects NJ attended an event hosted by Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. at Mercer Street Friends. The Stork's Nest Pampers Giveaway was a celebration of motherhood, care, and community support. This initiative provides essential resources and encouragement for expecting mothers to prioritize prenatal and postpartum care.

Despite their age, children can have a powerful impact in the community, if only we encourage them to do so. Here are four reasons kids should start volunteering young.

Join Connecting NJ for Mindfulness for Moms, a free online wellness workshop on April 22, 2024, at 1pm, an empowering online education session designed to help parents and caregivers like you build mindfulness and self-care practices.

Gardening not only brings in beautiful colors, scents and foods to your home, but it has added benefits just for you. Here are some reasons you should plant a garden this season.

On a recent Tuesday, Bridgewater Raritan High School seniors were treated to an informative and eye-opening presentation by the Perinatal Addictions Prevention Project staff. The program delved into the effects of marijuana on the developing brain and its impact on reproduction, fertility, and pregnancy.

John Mooney, New Jersey Spotlight News' founding editor, sat down with health care reporter Lilo Stainton, Robyn D'Oria, Chief Executive Officer of CJFHC, and Atiya Weiss, Executive Director of the Burke Foundation to discuss The Change Project's inaugural story examining one of New Jersey's strategies to address the state's notorious gaps in maternal health.

Connecting NJ invites you to embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery and empowerment. Join us virtually on March 25, 2024, 10:30AM - 11:30AM, register here.

By going green, we create a better environment for ourselves and future generations. Check out these easy ways you can live an altruistic—and green—lifestyle.

This delightful spring-themed craft nurtures various aspects of your child’s development. Engaging in the simple tasks of tearing, gluing, and coloring will boost your child's fine motor skills. Actively interacting with your child during this activity—asking about colors, images, and encouraging them to describe their actions—will fortify language, literacy, and problem-solving abilities.

The conference aims to bring together individuals and organizations committed to addressing critical issues surrounding Black maternal health. From sharing insights to fostering collaborations, the goal is clear: to empower Black mothers and improve healthcare outcomes. This event requires registration - to register please visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/celebrating-black-maternal-health-week-2024-turning-up-the-volume-tickets-835942565717 or scan the QR code on the flyer.

This Women’s History Month, get involved by showing support for the women in your community. Check out these ways you can remember powerful women from history, while advocating for women today.

Prioritize our health and well-being by engaging in meaningful conversations and practices that nourish our minds, bodies, and spirits. Whether you're interested in learning more about pregnancy health or exploring mindfulness techniques, our education series offers something for everyone. Join us as we come together to nurture our growth, resilience, and compassion.

Whether you're a parent gearing up to re-enter the workforce after maternity leave, a homemaker looking to get back into the professional world, or someone who's faced significant gaps in your employment history, CJFHC’s Connecting NJ has got you covered.

Our Pregnancy and Parenting Wellness Program is working with Rutgers RWJ Barnabas Medical School to host an educational and candid discussion of the postpartum journey, covering various aspects that are crucial for the well-being of both parents and babies. From understanding the physical changes that occur after childbirth to managing the emotional rollercoaster of parenthood, our discussion will address it all.

This meeting provides an invaluable opportunity for healthcare professionals, researchers, policymakers, and community advocates to deepen their understanding of the challenges faced by black mothers during the perinatal period. By discussing these issues with expertise and empathy, we can work towards developing more effective interventions and support systems.

When it comes to supporting local business, there’s more to it than helping the community; it supports you too. Check out these reasons why going local helps you out in the long run.

New Jersey Spotlight’s Lilo Stainton sat down with CJFHC Family Connects staff to highlight on the transformative potential of Family Connects NJ, a groundbreaking home visitation program aiming to revolutionize maternal care in the Garden State.

There are ways we can challenge ourselves to grow in empathy. If you want to learn more, check out these tips for how to cultivate more empathy for others.

Our free and virtual monthly parenting classes are designed to equip you with the tools and knowledge you need to raise strong, resilient children through positive parenting techniques

Greater Mercer Public Health Partnership will host their annual Spring CAB Meeting and Networking event, with a focused presentation on Access to Care.

What if you could live with more compassion this week and share love with other people in your community, country or even the world? Turns out, you can!

On April 18, 2024, the Black Maternal Health Conference will take center stage, spotlighting the theme “Turning up the Volume by Partnering with a Purpose: A Focus on Black Maternal Health."

Give yourself and your loved ones the greatest gift this American Heart Month by focusing on making heart-healthy decisions towards a happier and healthier lifestyle.

Connecting NJ invites parents and their little cupids (ages 0-5 years) to cozy up at home and join our Early Childhood Development Specialists for a heartwarming crafting session. Get ready for a delightful experience where love and creativity come together in the comfort of your own living room.

The Preeclampsia Foundation welcomed a new group of officers to their 2024 Board of Directors today. Robyn D’Oria, MA, RNC, APN will serve as the new Board chair, having served previously as Vice Chair under the leadership of Immediate Past Chair Rakhi Dimino, MD, MMM, CPE. Robyn is the Chief Executive Officer of the Central Jersey Family Health Consortium (CJFHC), a regionalized network of agencies and providers involved in the delivery of perinatal and pediatric services in central New Jersey.

It can sometimes be difficult to consider how exactly to recognize Black History Month. What can you do? Here are six ideas for honoring Black History Month.

Prevent Child Abuse America (PCA America) announced today that the Healthy Families America (HFA) affiliate, Central Jersey Family Health Consortium’s (CJFHC) Healthy Families Program has been accredited as a provider of high-quality home visiting services to pregnant families and families with infants and young children.

The South Brunswick Public Library is set to host a special and FREE event with Connecting NJ's incredible Early Childhood Specialists. Connecting NJ is set up to help parents explore community resources, connect with quality childcare centers, access early intervention services, and discover developmental evaluations and medical services.

CJFHC is excited to partner with the Partnership for Maternal and Child Health of Northern NJ, Southern New Jersey Perinatal Cooperative and the SIDS Center of New Jersey for an on-demand webinar: "Reducing the Risk of Sudden Unexpected Infant Death: A Guide for Healthcare Providers."
This recorded program is for nurses and other health professionals who work with families to learn the updated safe sleep guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatrics to reduce the risk of SIDS and other sleep- related infant deaths.

First Lady Tammy Murphy today hosted a roundtable discussion to celebrate Maternal Health Awareness Day. During the discussion, the First Lady, Department of Children and Families Commissioner Christine Norbut Beyer, Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz, Assemblywoman Shanique Speight, and others discussed the importance of the recently launched Family Connects NJ program. Family Connects NJ is a new state program offering a free, voluntary, in-home visit by a specially trained nurse to support all families and their newborns within two weeks after delivery.

Join Rutger's ECHO to learn best practices for treatment, identify helpful community resources, and collaborate with a panel of Maternal Child Health and Addiction Medicine specialists and your peers. Together, we can help ensure that mothers in New Jersey can give birth safely with the treatment and support they receive within their community.

Self-defeating thoughts can come when we least expect them and tear down our self-esteem and break our spirits. So how can we stand up to them and choose joy instead? Check out these 5 ways!

Our Healthy Women, Healthy Families program, in partnership with the Childrens Home Society, is hiring for doulas to service Middlesex and Mercer counties. Doulas provide continuous emotional support, encouragement, and guidance to expecting parents, helping them navigate the challenges of labor and delivery.

Join us in person or online on Friday, January 26, 2024,, from 7:30AM - 1PM for a half day of seminars and discussion relating to vital and pressing maternal health issues. In conjunction with Maternal Health Awareness Day in NJ, we are hosting an interprofessional education series for all individuals involved in women's health and maternity care.

First Lady Tammy Murphy today celebrated Governor Phil Murphy’s signing of S-4119/A-5739, which ensures every mother has the right to a doula in a hospital or birth center.

New Jersey's Maternal Mortality Review Committee (NJMMRC) will hold a virtual mock case review. This mock panel will highlight an overview of the NJMMRC and its process, and a full simulation of a typical maternal mortality case review, including committee deliberations and recommendations.

The art of meeting new people, and establishing new relationships, is a genuine skill. And, you don’t even have to be a social butterfly to master it!

This recorded program is for nurses and other health professionals who work with families to learn the updated safe sleep guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatrics to reduce the risk of SIDS and other sleep- related infant deaths.

This in-person town hall is for community members, healthcare professionals and anyone who is interested in learning more about New Jersey’s stillbirth crisis.

Fortunately, recent studies have shown that volunteering with people (or a cause you care about) can actually mitigate depression and anxiety issues.

Positivity is key to creating an altruistic lifestyle in the New Year. If you want to start 2024 off on a high note, check out these tips for living a positive life this year.