From September 15th to October 15th, the country recognizes Hispanic Heritage Month. The 2023 theme for the month is "Prosperity, Power and Progress”. In that spirit, the Salem Health and Wellness Foundation is devoting its next Community Conversation to the health and well-being of Latino families and individuals in Salem County and around New Jersey.
A panel of advocates and practitioners will highlight the challenges around access and equity, as well as lifting up the promising practices and effective strategies for health care support. Remarkable, compassionate and effective work happens every day in Salem County and in the South Jersey region. This will be an opportunity to learn from those efforts and consider how other health and human service organizations can replicate those examples of success.
As always, the program will encourage participation by the audience and create opportunities for conversation among the Foundation’s friends and colleagues.
Panelists
- Jesselly De La Cruz, DSW currently serves as Executive Director for the Latino Action Network Foundation. Her clinical experience includes providing emergency screening of persons in mental health crisis at an inner-city hospital, outpatient and in-home child and family therapy, and clinical consultation for nursing homes with primarily Spanish-speaking residents. She is committed to dedicating her time to using her skills to help organizations that serve to support and empower Latino communities, BIPOC and LGBT youth, and families living below the federal poverty limit.
- Ivette Guillermo-McGahee is the founder and CEO of Allies In Caring, a New Jersey nonprofit offering for the past 10 years, a continuum of behavioral health services for under-resourced individuals living in poverty, immigrants and individuals with disabilities, the services provided include In-home crises interventions and tele-health treatment. And its new “Wellness Hub, ConVivir” offers prevention and skill building programs.
- Judy Santos is a NJCEED Outreach Coordinator at Inspira Medical Center Vineland, where she has worked for 13 years helping women and men get free cancer screening and education on the importance of screenings. She works closely with the Hispanic populations of Salem, Cumberland and Gloucester Counties and enjoys being able to help the communities and families with all their needs.
- Ediza Lahoz Valentino serves as a Pediatric Licensed Social Worker and HealthySteps Specialist at the Jane H. Booker Family Health Center, which is part of the Hackensack network. Her role involves providing families with comprehensive guidance and support encompassing developmental, behavioral, social, and emotional well-being. Ediza is deeply passionate about initiatives that foster equity and enhance accessibility to services aimed at strengthening families.
- Paul DiLorenzo, Executive Director of the Salem Health and Wellness Foundation will moderate the panel.