The UMDNJ School of Nursing Health Services Program, sponsored in cooperation with the St. Columba Collaboration
St. Columba Church, founded in 1869, is run under the aegis of the Order of Scalabrini Fathers and Brothers. The present pastor, Fr. Decimo Crevani, and his confreres in the order generally minister to migrant communities and were appointed to this parish to serve and minister to the new and established immigrant families in the southern end of the Central Ward. When the Church was built, its original parishioners were "immigrants" from the South, people seeking a new life after the harrows and horrors of the Civil War. At the turn of the century, refugees from the Ireland flooded the neighborhood. In most recent times, immigrants seeking a better life and more opportunity have come and settled in the neighborhood around the church from Puerto Rico, Africa, Portugal and South and Central America.
Presently, aside from traditional religious services such as weddings and baptisms, spiritual services such as daily and Sunday masses, and individual spiritual counseling, the parish is the host of two long running and successful programs: Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. In addition, there is a small group of volunteers who run the Parish Thrift Shop.
The St. Columba Elementary School opened in 1875, and remains in the same building today. The School educates approximately 350 children, in grades ranging from kindergarten to 8Th grade. There are twenty-three faculty members, and four educators from the Essex County Commission. The School offers an after-school program which operates according to Title XX guidelines for approximately 80 children. The Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth run the school, and are also community leaders. In the convent, the Sisters sponsor a day care program for children under the age of five, for working mothers of the neighborhood and the City of Newark. School children have the option of eating all three daily meals, as service provided by the School and the Neighborhood Club, in addition to a pre-school and after school program where children can socialize, receive help with their home work and play.
The St. Columba Neighborhood Club was founded by pro-active neighborhood residents in 1975. It is one of five Hispanic Community Based Organizations in the City of Newark. It is the only multi-service, community-oriented organization which responds to the needs of the residents in the Pennsylvania Avenue, Lincoln Park area of Newark, in the heart of the Central Ward of the City.
St. Columba Neighborhood Club, also known as El Club del Barrio, is more than a socialization center. It provides a host of needed and effective social services, ranging from a food pantry to an after school program. Initially, it was a location where residents would individually and collectively seek advice on housing evictions, habitability violations, urban renewal, or recovery from arson fires.
Present services include assistance with any government sponsored social services program and the following:
Seniors Program Social and recreational programs including field trips, personal safety, escort and escort advocacy, arts and crafts, translation services, counseling, social and cultural events
Seniors Companion Program Seniors aged 60 and older are recruited to be companions to other services or to assist in hospitals with Latino patients, and in return receive stipends.
Transportation A ten passenger van provides transportation for seniors to medical appointments, other social services offices and recreational activities.
"Cena en Casa" Dinner at home for over 55 HIV/AIDS clients, Monday though Friday
E.L.L.A.S. Empowering Latina Women Living with AIDS through self-love; open to women infected by HIV/AIDS, or women who are effected by AIDS.
S.T.O.P. AIDS Geared towards women and teens, a peer education program for Latino and African-Americans.
After School Program: Tutoring, recreational, educational, cultural trips, group counseling during the academic year
Summer Fun Program: In conjunction with the City of Newark Sun-Up Program, free meals provided daily, trips, indoor/outdoor games
Summer Baseball League: Co-sponsored by the PAL, St. Columba offers teams from age 8 to 14 to residents of Newark
Winter Basketball League: In conjunction with other community based organizations, the league runs from October to April
El Club del Barrio Athletic Field: Safe athletic filed for social and recreational community events. Used by the youth and adults.
St. Columba Peace Playground: In collaboration with St. Columba School, playground and park for residents and community
Clinical Services Intensive in-home services and on-site mental health services are provided for families at risk of child abuse and neglect; includes counseling, family therapy, parenting skills, and family aides services.
Therapeutic Groups Includes a self-help support group, socialization groups for women, and groups for children to promote self-esteem and positive problem solving
F.A.M.I.L.I.A.S./Case Management Access resources to become self-sufficient/achieve goals as determined by psychosocial assessment
F.A.M.I.L.I.A.S./Workshops Topics include AIDS/HIV, Nutrition, Parenting Skills, Family Planning issues, addressed by community members.
F.A.M.I.L.I.AS./Education English as a Second Language, GED, sewing, Spanish Literacy.
F.A.M.I.L.I.A.S./Information and Referral Awareness and access of available resources, referrals to specific agencies, follow-up on referrals.
S.H.A.R.E. Food cooperative, packeaged and delivered by vounteers and neighborhood residents on a monthly basis
Healthy Mothers/Healthy Babies Drop-in Center for information, pregnancy testing, support groups and referrals
Volunteer/Internship Program A two-tiered program to 1) train individuals to acquire business skills and 2) train students from Rutgers and Seton Hall studying social work
Summer Youth Employment and Training For 25 youths of the City of Newark.
Food Pantry Sponsored by MEND, Monday thru Friday 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Walk-In Services Assistance with welfare, social security, housing assistance and other social services
UMDNJ School of Nursing was introduced to the St. Columba Collaboration in Fall 1995. Over the last year, the relationship has strengthened and developed. In March of 1996, UMDNJ School of Nursing in collaboration with St. Columba Collaboration, opened a Nurse Managed Health Care Center. The Center provides numerous services, including educational workshops, health screening, health counseling, and physical exams. Additionally, the nurses provide an extensive referral system for patients in need of further and/or more complex treatment. Since its inception, it was obvious that the community's response is favorable. The center now averages 150 patient contacts per month and workshop attendance of approximately 100 per month.
At present, two bi-lingual RNs staff the health center. They are assisted by UMDNJ School of Nursing faculty in their respective areas of expertise; e.g. members of the Psych/Mental Health Program Track faculty provide support group activity for school aged girls in the St. Columba Elementary School. There are faculty members who have assisted in the data collection, management and analysis of a comprehensive community needs assessment. Those faculty who retain special interests in particular areas of health research have found a willing cohort of individuals to assist with health related research issues.
In addition, this is a center where student nurses have been experiencing community health nursing. Students from each program of the UMDNJ School of Nursing have received community health experience, as well as experience in women’s health, gerontology, pediatrics, mental health, and acute care. Presently, students from other New Jersey Schools of Nursing have been placed in this center as part of clinical rotation. We welcome and invite students from any School of Nursing. UMDNJ School of Nursing has not limited student rotation only to nursing students. Students from Allied Health have found clinical experience, as well as students in small business Traineeship programs, who need experience in office management or medical assistant experience.
If you are interested in learning more about the activities and services described here, send email to Julie A. McCourt mccourju@umndj.edu. Thanks for your interest
All nurses, faculty, students and staff have been extremely satisfied and rewarded with their involvement at the St. Columba Collaboration, and the clients have consistently rated the health care services as high quality. All around, everyone involved has found St. Columba to be a rich community, with a lot to offer anyone willing to visit and stay awhile.