Menendez, Booker announce 11.9M for substance abuse, community health funding

By: Anthony Vecchione
November 29, 2018 3:17 pm

U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker, both Democrats, announced Thursday $11,533,365 from the Department of Health and Human Services will be allocated to support community health centers in Cumberland and Essex counties, and $400,000 to back Robins’ Nest Recovery and Housing Program in Bridgeton.Community Health Care Inc. in Bridgetown will $8,036,868 from the HHS funding, and the City of Newark $3,496,497.

“Community Health Centers are a critical piece of the puzzle in ensuring everyone has access to quality, affordable health care in this country,” said Menendez in a statement. “This funding will help ensure that residents of New Jersey continue to benefit from robust and comprehensive health care, regardless of their socioeconomic status.”

“We already know that far too many New Jerseyans face incredible barriers to adequate health care,” said Booker.

Robins’ Nest established a recovery-centered transitional housing program known as “A Place to Call Home” to provide supportive services and homes for expectant and postpartum women as they work to get and stay sober. This program provides parenting support, vocational counseling, mental health and substance abuse counseling.

“Federal investments like this help organizations like Robins’ Nest continue their mission by ensuring New Jerseyans have access to the mental health and addiction treatment they need in order to maintain their health and well-being,” Booker said.

Robins’ Nest, currently celebrating its 50^th year of operation in New Jersey, runs more than 80 programs that support families, children, and veterans with issues ranging from child abuse prevention to drug recovery rehabilitation.

Menendez secured two additional years of mandatory funding at $7.8 billion in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018. This funding provides support for health centers. He also secured an additional $1.626 billion in funding in the 2018 omnibus spending bill for a combined $5.4 billion in 2018 alone.