Breaking Barriers: How NJCDC is Expanding Access to Mental Health Care for Communities of Color

At NJCDC, we believe that mental health care isn’t a luxury — it’s a necessity. And this Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re proud to share how we’re helping to eliminate the barriers that too often stand between minoritized communities and the support they need.

Across Paterson and wider Passaic County, stigma, systemic inequities, and cultural disconnects have historically made it harder for residents — especially those who are Black, Latino, and/or immigrants — to access mental health care. But through community-rooted programs like our NJ4S Passaic County Hub, Paterson Public Health Corps, and Affordable and Supportive Housing initiatives, NJCDC is working to change that by embedding mental health support into the places people already are: schools, homes, and neighborhoods.

As NJCDC Founder & CEO Bob Guarasci put it, “Mental health support must be woven into the fabric of community life, especially in historically marginalized communities. We’re building systems of care that are accessible, relatable, and, most importantly, rooted in trust.”

Meeting Families Where They Are: Our NJ4S Passaic County Hub

Launched in 2023 through a statewide student support initiative, our NJ4S Passaic County Hub offers free, tiered mental health and wellness services to students, families, and educators in nearly every public and charter school in the county. These services — ranging from workshops to individual clinical interventions — are not only accessible, but also culturally responsive and trauma-informed.

Staffed by bilingual and diverse professionals, many of whom grew up in the same neighborhoods as the students they serve, NJ4S creates spaces where young people feel seen and heard. As one clinician explained, “When a child walks into a workshop and sees someone who looks like them and understands their background, it changes how they engage. It builds trust, and that’s where healing starts.”

In schools, community centers, and even houses of worship, NJ4S is bringing these critical conversations out into the open. Through presentations like Cultural Compassion, Know Your Rights, and Defeating Discrimination, NJ4S is creating spaces where students can reflect, connect, and begin to dismantle the shame and silence that often surrounds mental health in minority communities. As one team member noted, “Mental health is becoming a normal topic in schools, and that’s huge! We’re able to start conversations that kids might not be having anywhere else.”

This community-first approach, shaped by local voices and grounded in evidence-based practices, has already reached more than 52,000 participants in Passaic County, including thousands of students of color who may otherwise have lacked access to such services.

Breaking the Silence: Our Paterson Public Health Corps

While NJ4S delivers support across the county, our Paterson Public Health Corps (PPHC) AmeriCorps program brings focused, school-based care to five of Paterson’s most underserved public schools. Each school hosts full-time AmeriCorps members who serve as mental health mentors, creating trauma-informed “peace rooms,” leading student seminars, and running mental health resource centers.

The idea is simple: bring mental health support into the spaces students already feel comfortable. “We’re not just connecting students to services,” one Corps member said. “We’re changing how mental health is talked about in our schools. That shift, from silence to openness, can be life changing.”

And for many students, that shift begins with just one caring adult. “My role as a Mental Health Mentor has provided immediate support to students and laid the groundwork for a more aware, empathetic, and proactive school community,” another Corps member explained, reflecting on how even brief conversations in the peace rooms have helped build trust and normalize help-seeking behavior.

The program has already served hundreds of students — many of whom identify as Black, Latino, and/or another minoritized group — and is poised to expand in the coming years. Through its partnership with NJ4S Passaic and other community providers, our PPHC is helping to create a new generation of students who not only understand mental health, but aren’t afraid to talk about it.

Centering Healing at Home: Supportive Housing as Mental Health Care

But NJCDC’s mental health work doesn’t stop when the school day ends. At our Spruce Terrace, Birch Arms, and Barclay Place Apartments, we integrate wellness support directly into housing, recognizing that mental health and housing stability go hand in hand.

At Spruce and Birch, which provide permanent supportive housing for residents with complex medical and behavioral needs, the care model centers on flexibility and cultural responsiveness. “We try to find resources that make sense for each individual, so they’re more likely to follow through and actually benefit,” explained Program Director and clinician Danielle Henderson-Muhammad. “We focus on housing, medical care, and mental health — because they’re all connected.”

Many residents carry a long history of trauma, and building trust can take time. “A lot of people have learned not to trust professionals,” Danielle added. “So we meet them where they are. We respect their experience and let them lead. That’s how the healing begins.”

At Barclay, NJCDC’s newest housing development just steps from St. Joseph’s University Medical Center, residents have access to on-site wellness services, mindfulness coaching, and mental health workshops — many offered in both English and Spanish. These services are led by culturally competent staff who understand the challenges facing families of color and are trained to create safe, affirming spaces.

“Barclay shows what’s possible when housing and healthcare work together,” shared one staff member. “It’s not just a place to live — it’s a place to grow, to connect, and to heal.”

In addition to formal services, community-building plays a major role. Monthly exercise classes, rooftop gatherings, and an active WhatsApp group have helped transform Barclay into a hub of support and solidarity!

A Community-Wide Commitment

Across all of NJCDC’s programs, one thing remains clear: representation, trust, and community connection are vital to effective mental health care. Whether it’s a student learning how to process their emotions, a resident finding the courage to ask for help, or a school transforming into a hub of healing, this work is about dignity, inclusion, and hope.

This Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re proud to stand alongside our community in building a future where mental health is no longer a taboo, but a shared priority.