Saint James Health Opens Health Center at East Side High School

Saint James Health Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), in partnership with RWJBarnabas Health, opened a new health clinic at Newark’s East Side High School as part of an ongoing effort to increase access to care and improve health outcomes in the city’s most vulnerable populations.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony coincided with the celebration of National Health Center Week.

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“We are extremely lucky with the timing of this ribbon-cutting at East Side High School in the Ironbound. It falls during National Health Center Week," said Saint James Health President and CEO Nicole Fields . "Here in New Jersey, the federally qualified health centers serve over 574,000 patients annually. This number continues to grow, along with the demand for affordable healthcare.”

Fields credited the partnership with RWJBarnabas Health for making the health clinic possible.

"For the past two years, this partnership has grown to serve the community," she said. "For example, we are able to send our patients to RWJBarnabas Health doctors, and vice versa, and have their electronic medical records close at hand. This provides better quality care.”

Located at 69 Pulaski St. in Newark’s culturally rich Ironbound neighborhood, the Saint James Health Center at East Side High School has its own separate public entrance and offers patients primary care services, including pediatrics, adult medicine, vaccines, physicals, as well as access to trained social workers and assistance with insurance enrollment, in a safe and comfortable environment and with both language and cultural proficiency.

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“It comes as no surprise that we are here at East Side High School,” added Newark Schools Superintendent Roger Leon describing the critical role that East Side High School played, in coordination with school, city, and state officials, in addressing mass vaccination needs throughout the pandemic. “We are tremendously grateful to our partners at Saint James Health and RWJBarnabas Health. Our community is better because of you.”

RWJ Barnabas Health President and CEO Mark E. Manigan applauded Newark Mayor Ras Baraka for his commitment to the project.

“Sometimes, society can take for granted that there are tens of thousands of people who have dedicated themselves to taking care of the sick and injured," Manigan said. "It is inherently noble work. This facility and partnership will provide not only vital access to care but coordination and access to other social services that tie it all together. We are proud to partner with Saint James Health and the Newark School System to support students, families, and the Ironbound Community at large."

The collaboration with the City of Newark and Newark Public Schools brings high-quality health care right into the center of the community — the local public school — increasing access to care for students, their families, and surrounding residents.

“Healthcare is incredibly important,” said Baraka, explaining the disparities in access to care that challenge some neighborhoods within Newark and surrounding communities. “The partnership between RWJBarnabas Health and Saint James Health, along with other private and public relationships, is so important. It’s not competition, it’s collaboration. Affordable healthcare that is accessible to our residents is exactly what we need.”

As part of the event, RWJBarnabas Health also sponsored a backpack giveaway outside East Side High School, providing over 1,000 backpacks filled with essential school supplies for area children in time for the start of school.

The theme of this year’s National Health Center Week, Aug. 4-10, is “Powering Communities Through Caring Connections.”

U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services Region II Director Joseph Palm said the Biden administration was proud to fund and support FQHCs to provide medically underserved communities or populations with the high-quality health care, regardless of their insurance coverage or financial means.

"It’s through partnerships like this, between Saint James and RWJBarnabas Health, that Community Health Centers are able to make a lasting impact in the communities they serve,” Palm said . “As we celebrate National Health Center Week and the comprehensive, innovative, and cost-effective services centers like this provide our families, friends, and neighbors, it’s incredibly important that we also acknowledge the community partners, stakeholders, and caregivers who make it all possible.”

Creation of the Saint James Health Center at East Side High School is part of a broader effort by RWJBarnabas Health, funded through the “Our Healthy Newark” appropriation from the State of New Jersey, to address health equity in vulnerable, historically underserved communities and the social determinants that impact health outcomes, including access to transportation, primary care facilities, safe housing, affordable medications, healthy foods, and other socio-economic factors. The initiative includes linking a core group of FQHCs to hospital electronic medical records systems, embedding community health workers to help patients navigate care, recruiting medical specialists who will expand care provided at local clinics, and addressing community social determinants of health on-site or close by.

In February, as part of the same “Our Healthy Newark” initiative, RWJBarnabas Health and Saint James opened a 340b retail pharmacy and “Food Farmacy” at Saint James’s 228 Lafayette Ave. location. The pharmacy provides discounted medication and education to patients and allows patients to pick up prescriptions at the time of their appointment, improving the affordability of and access to vital medication. The “Food Farmacy” gives patients on-site access to free healthy foods and culturally appropriate nutrition and dietary education to help manage their diagnoses.

Also in attendance for the event: State Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz, Assembly Budget Chair Eliana Pintor Marin; Newark City Council President LaMonica McIver; North Ward Councilman Anibal Ramos Jr.; U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services Region II Executive Director Dennis Gonzalez; Ketlen Baptiste-Alsbrook, director of the Newark Dept. of Health and Community Wellness and RWJBarnabas Health Senior Vice President for Community Health Balpreet Grewal-Virk.

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