Central Jersey Family Health Consortium held its all-staff meeting on June 5, 2024, at the Professional Conference Center at ESCNJ. These biannual meetings aim to strengthen staff bonds, encourage internal networking, and provide a platform for programs to share their goals, successes, and stories. 

The event began with a presentation from Communications Manager Celeste Post, who highlighted the importance of creating a digital space for the Consortium’s programs. "Every program tells such an important story,” Celeste says, “and every program provides vital services. Those stories deserve to be told. My job is important [to me] because I get to help tell those stories, and I help create an avenue for those programs to really shine every day, and to hopefully reach the families who need them.” 

Seventeen of the Consortium’s programs were presented, sharing heartfelt messages from families they have served and appreciation for the Consortium’s work. 

New Jersey Breastfeeding Strategic Plan: Project Director Ellen Maughan discussed the Strategic Plan's goal of improving the state’s breastfeeding rates and alleviating barriers for families of color and underserved populations. She noted that less than 60% of breastfeeding parents in NJ continued after three months due to obstacles like lack of lactation care and resources. Follow Central Jersey Family Health Consortium on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, and sign up for the Consortium’s bi-monthly email newsletter to stay connected to all Consortium news.  

Child Care Health Consultants (CCHC): The CCHC team walked staff through how they work with childcare centers to promote best practices in areas such as food allergy management, staff health and wellness, emergency preparedness, infection disease prevention, and illness management. They emphasized the importance in prevention for overall community health and how they meet this goal by offering services like health and safety trainings, consultations, on-site technical assistance, virtual huddles, policy development, and monthly meetings. The team shared their passion in creating safe spaces for children and families through health and safety practices. Visit the Child Care Health Consultants webpage to learn more. 

Connecting NJ: Through an entertaining skit, Connecting NJ highlighted the various roles within their team, including:

• Community Alignment Specialists - Responsible for outreach & marketing for Connecting NJ and Family Connects NJ and maintaining resources and relationships within the community.  
• Resource Specialists - The first point of contact for families and link pregnant people and caregivers of children 0-5 over the phone to providers, resources, and support in their community. 
• Case Managers - Provide short term support (3-6 months) to clients with challenging and/or “high risk “situations and help them connect to appropriate services. 
• Early Childhood Specialists - Provide early childhood developmental guidance and offer the Ages and Stages Questionnaire- a parent-led online tool that tracks child’s development.

Together, they work diligently to ensure families have the resources they need to thrive at every level. Visit the Connecting NJ webpage to learn more and to get connected. 

Data, Evaluation & Analytics: With a snappy prezi presentation and energetic video, the Data, Evaluation & Analytics team highlighted their role as a staff resource for all things data, their vital role in assisting community partners and programs with access to databases and research, strategic planning, and the Health Status Assessment Report. The team also highlighted their upcoming participation as a finalist in the National Institute of Health’s three phase challenge, Connecting The Community for Maternal Health. Visit the Data, Evaluation & Analytics webpage to learn more or make a data request. 

Family Connects NJ: Family Connects staff and nurses took this opportunity to highlight the importance and impact of their universal program. This home-visiting program has expanded from its beginnings in Colorado to several other states, including New Jersey. The staff and nurses of Family Connects NJ deliver vital and lifesaving care to parents in the comfort of their own home. Going beyond the basic well-visit, nurses will spend an hour or more with families ensuring they are healthy, have access to resource they need, and feel treated and seen. Visit familyconnectsnj.org to learn more about Family Connects, see the current service areas, and view the official roll out schedule. 

Grow NJ Kids: Grown NJ Kids got staff up and out of their seats in an engaging presentation. Grow NJ Kids staff explained how the program focuses on early-childhood quality improvement, assisting childcare centers to provide the highest quality of care. They work with educators, childcare centers, and other sites to improve standards based on a quality rating program. Program staff shared their heartfelt stories with the vision that every child deserves quality early-childhood programs and that every childcare center can meet this goal. Visit grownjkids.org to learn more. 

Healthy Families: With a bright and colorful slideshow and cheeky fun-facts, Healthy Families staff had the opportunity to introduce themselves and highlight the immense success of their intensive three-year home visiting program. The program achieved accreditation, an intense process of over 200 steps and hosted a successful graduation of program participants. Healthy Families staff shared participant success stories, including a family who achieved home ownership. Visit the Healthy Families webpage to learn more. 

Healthy Women, Healthy Families: Healthy Women, Healthy Families staff got the room to their feet in an energizing game of Family Feud. Healthy Women, Healthy Families introduced their program services to CJFHC staff. Serving birthing people, fathers, teens, and legal guardians, Healthy Women, Healthy Families uplifts communities with services like lactation and breastfeeding education, community baby showers, connection to resources for food and necessities, and more. Visit the Healthy Women, Healthy Families webpage to learn more. 

Maternal Mortality Review Abstraction Team: With a heartfelt slideshow and video presentation, the Maternal Mortality Review Abstraction team shared their emotional testimony, working with the state to document and present the stories of women who have died from pregnancy complications. The team presents these stories to the state to help develop recommendations and guidelines aiming to make NJ safer for birthing people. 

Mercer Service Coordination Unit: The Mercer SCU team presented a PowerPoint outlining their role in helping families navigate early intervention care and resources with a family-centered approach, ensuring children receive the necessary services they need to thrive. The team shared their passion for Early Intervention (EI), and helping families navigate EI services, IFSP plans, and helping families plan for the transition out of EI. Visit the Mercer Service Coordination Unit webpage to learn more. 

Mid-Jersey CARES Regional Early Intervention: Mid Jersey CARES REIC team shared how they champion early intervention in New Jersey through professional development and support for providers and families to access early intervention resources. The REIC team works hand-in-hand with the workforce to support families in supporting their children, conduct community outreach to raise awareness, and work diligently to connect families to support and resources. The team is passionate about ensuring every child in New Jersey has the opportunity to thrive.  Visit the Mid-Jersey CARES webpage to learn more. 

New Jersey Immunization Information System (NJIIS): Through an entertaining and high-energy skit, NJIIS demonstrated their work in ensuring streamlined access to immunization records for families and healthcare providers. They work closely with the state of NJ to ensure all families and providers can access organized, clean records. Visit the NJIIS webpage to learn more. 

Perinatal Addiction Prevention Project: Using interactive software, the Perinatal Addiction Prevention Project (PAPP) team quizzed staff on their knowledge of addiction and encouraged staff to find and share glimmers of positivity. The Perinatal Addictions team educated staff on how they train providers to screen for addiction and connect high-risk patients to resources. Visit the Perinatal Addictions Prevention webpage to learn more. 

Pregnancy and Parenting Wellness: For over 5 years, this program has focused on providing vital mental and emotional support to new parents, ensuring they have the necessary emotional resources. The Pregnancy and Parenting Wellness team works diligently to train providers about the complex emotional impact pregnancy and birth can have on all parents, regardless of gender or birthing status. Visit the Pregnancy and Parenting Wellness webpage to learn more. 

Prematurity Prevention Initiative: In collaboration with FHI International, this initiative aims to prevent premature births through education, outreach, and comprehensive go-kits that help families monitor for signs of preeclampsia and early labor. Visit the Prematurity Prevention Initiative webpage to learn more. 

Safe Kids NJ: Concluding the day, Safe Kids NJ emphasized the power of education and awareness in preventing child accidents, covering topics from car seat safety to safe driving and household practices. Preventable accidents are the number one cause of death for children, and Safe Kids’ mission is to ensure access to education and resources to help ensure preventable accidents are stopped before they happen. Visit safekids.org to learn more. 

The June 2024 All-Staff meeting provided an excellent opportunity for networking, relationship building, and reaffirming the Consortium’s mission of providing an equitable and healthy future for Central New Jersey families. The heartfelt presentations resonated deeply, leaving staff energized and motivated to continue their impactful work. Follow Central Jersey Family Health Consortium on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, and sign up for the Consortium’s bi-monthly email newsletter to stay connected to all Consortium news.