Community Mental Health Experience

Our internship program is committed to engendering an attitude of social responsibility in students to identify and effectively address the needs and concerns of people of color. The community mental health experience provides an educational and training experience in one of four local, multi-service agencies that house programs addressing many needs (See descriptions below). We consider this experience helpful because many community members utilize these local multi-service agencies first before attempting to access behavioral health services directly. Working in these settings allows interns to gain knowledge and more direct experience with the community resources to which they refer their clients. It also affords the intern an opportunity to participate in the community in a way not offered by a traditional office-based service delivery system. Interns can initiate a collaboration with agency personnel and a supervising faculty psychologist from UMDNJ/UBHC to design a plan of activities that can include providing education about mental health to the community, consultation to staff, and education to staff about mental health issues; acting as a liaison between agencies; and providing mental health screenings and referrals.

The training committee will provide support to the interns who would like to become involved in this experience, ensuring they are able to make contact with the community mental health agencies and that they create a specific training plan for the experience.

1. FOCUS-Hispanic Center for Community Development

A non-profit community based organization that has been Newark’s pioneer center for Hispanic progress since 1967. Its mission is to sponsor educational and developmental programs, which advance the quest of Latinos and African American residents of the Newark area, towards self-sufficiency, growth, empowerment and a better quality of life. This multi-service agency provides GED and ESL classes; job preparation, placement and referrals; mentoring/leadership development; life skills/personal development; housing; rental and utilities assistance; food pantry/meals; primary health care; pediatric health care; health screenings; senior services; community outreach; case management; individual mental health counseling for couples and families; youth services/delinquency prevention; after school program.

2. La Casa De Don Pedro, Inc.

In 1972, ten families living in Newark’s North Ward came together to discuss the issues they faced as recent immigrants and Hispanics living in Newark. La Casa integrates an array of supportive social services and community economic development programs that promote family well-being, healthy child development, educational achievement, employment opportunities, home-ownership, financial self-sufficiency, energy conservation, and neighborhood renewal. It provides domestic violence counseling; individual, couples and family mental health counseling; housing, rental and utility assistance; child care and after school programs; ESL classes; computer skills training; job placement/referrals; Citizenship Project helps legal immigrants prepare for US Citizenship test; community organizing and education; recreational activities.

3. 'El Club del Barrio'

A comprehensive community based social service organization in the South Broad Street and Lincoln Park area of Newark. Established in 1975 by local neighborhood leaders concerned with providing a stable living environment to one of Newark's poorest and most neglected communities. El Club del Barrio has been a provider of services, information, and referrals to neighborhood residents. It sponsors programs that respond to the needs of the community, primarily Latinos from youth to senior citizens. Social services include: The Senior Citizens Program, Senior Companion Program, Fostering Women's Achievement, The Youth Program, The Teen Drop-in Center, El Club del Barrio Peace Playground. AIDS Direct Services include La Sala, HOPWA and Cena.

4. The Urban League of Essex County.

Since its founding in 1917 by William B. Ashby, the Urban League provides training, assistance and direction to thousands of African-Americans and others in the Essex County area. The Urban League assists African Americans and other disadvantaged urban residents in the achievement of social and economic equality by offering educational and skill-based workshops, school readiness, and job training programs. They address the health of lower income communities by directing them to free and other health care and screening options.

The community mental health experience is not limited to the agencies listed above. Any local social service agency can be contacted and a training experience created for the interns. Contact with local agencies is done with the support of the Training and/or Assistant Training Directors.