Milestone Underscores the Impact of Screening for Social Determinants of Health, Addressing Barriers to Care
RWJBarnabas Health’s Mark Manigan, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Balpreet Grewal-Virk, Senior Vice President, Community Health, gather to cut the cake to celebrate the CHW team’s 100,000th patient interaction.
West Orange, NJ, October 9, 2025 – RWJBarnabas Health has announced that more than 100,000 patients have now benefited from a program initially launched in 2023 to help tear down barriers to care, reduce hospital readmissions, and improve overall health outcomes. The milestone coincides with the expansion of the system’s successful Community Health Worker (CHW) Program to all 14 RWJBarnabas Health hospitals across the state.
Funded through community health resources from the State of New Jersey, the CHW program is part of RWJBarnabas Health’s larger effort to create healthier communities across New Jersey by addressing the state’s most pressing social determinants of health.
RWJBarnabas Health CHWs serve as a critical part of the continuum of care as resources for vulnerable individuals. They assist patients with their health and social needs for up to 120 days and are embedded in hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), homeless and community centers, and at community health events.
CHWs conduct social determinants of health assessments to ensure patients are living in healthy environments, able to schedule and secure transportation to physician visits, have access to healthy food, and are getting – and taking – their medications, and then provide assistance to help fill in any gaps.
Mark Manigan, President and Chief Executive Officer, spent time thanking the over 70 CHWs for their efforts that contributed to this milestone.
“We’re building and sustaining a healthier New Jersey by creating a framework for community wellness across our state,” said RWJBarnabas Health President and Chief Executive Officer Mark E. Manigan. “Along with increasing access to care and healthy, nutritious foods, our Community Health Workers serve a vital role in guiding families through their health journeys and improve the overall health of our communities.”
CHWs have engaged over 100,300 patients since the program launched in Newark in November 2023 and later expanded to other hospitals within the system. Nearly 70,000 patients have been enrolled in the program; others were referred to another program and some have declined participation.
“The CHW program is a testament to what happens when health systems meet people where they are and address the real-life obstacles to achieving better health,” said Balpreet Grewal-Virk, PhD, Senior Vice President of Community Health at RWJBarnabas Health. “Our CHWs are helping patients invest in their health and navigate a system that doesn’t always make it easy, especially for the most vulnerable among us. Thanks to the work of CHWs, more patients are keeping their doctors’ appointments, eating healthier, and better managing their chronic diseases.”
Nearly six in 10 patients who completed the social determinants of health assessment identified lacking access to transportation, 45% reported being food insecure, and 21% each reported having trouble paying utility bills or finding stable housing.
Last month, RWJBarnabas Health leadership, including Mark Manigan, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Balpreet Grewal-Virk, Senior Vice President, Community Health, joined many of the over 70 CHWs in the health system to commemorate the team’s 100,000th patient interaction.
“I take great pride in serving my community,” said Brandon Olivares, 23, of North Plainfield, N.J., who joined the CHW team at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset in May 2025 and has served nearly 350 patients, to date. “Many of my patients face both socioeconomic and language barriers. As a bilingual Spanish speaking CHW, I connect my patients to the resources they need and guide them through the process of completing applications, securing appointments, and securing services.”
RWJBarnabas Health has provided over 116,000 rides for patients through a Rideshare Partnership launched in 2024, 84% of which were to or from a doctor’s visit. To further assist patients, CHWs have scheduled over 11,400 physician appointments, helped over 3,200 patients enroll in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and referred nearly 31,000 patients to community-based resources, such as food banks and other assistance programs.
“I provide patients with free ride share services, help them pay utility bills, help underinsured and uninsured patients receive primary care, and I am also a friendly ear for many patients who just want someone to talk to,” said Aquanett Bostick, 36, from Jersey City, N.J., a CHW at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center who has worked with nearly 900 patients since she started in March 2024. “I enjoy being of service to people in the community and as a Community Health Worker in the hospital’s emergency department I connect with dozens of patients every day.”
RWJBarnabas Health employs more than 70 CHWs across its service area and announced earlier this month that the program had expanded to Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch.
About RWJBarnabas Health
RWJBarnabas Health is New Jersey’s largest and most comprehensive academic health system, caring for more than five million people annually. Nationally renowned for quality and safety, the system includes 14 hospitals and 9,000 affiliated physicians integrated to provide care at more than 700 patient care locations.
RWJBarnabas Health partners with its communities to build and sustain a healthier New Jersey. It provides patient-centered care in a compassionate manner and is the state’s largest safety-net provider and leader in addressing the social determinants of health. RWJBarnabas Health provides food to the hungry, housing for the homeless and economic opportunities to those most vulnerable.
RWJBarnabas Health’s commitment to enhancing access to care includes a transformative partnership with Rutgers University, including the Rutgers Cancer Institute — the state's only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
RWJBarnabas Health is among New Jersey’s largest private employers, with more than 44,000 employees, contributing more than $7 billion to the state economy every year. For more information, visit rwjbh.org.
Contact:
Carrie Cristello
Carrie.Cristello@rwjbh.org