By: Richard L. Smith
Newark officials have awarded a grant to Integrity House, one of New Jersey’s largest licensed nonprofit providers of substance use disorder and mental health services, to launch a new street outreach and engagement program designed to assist unsheltered residents across the city.
The initiative, funded through the City of Newark Office of Homeless Services (OHS), will operate seven days a week with outreach teams assigned to public spaces, transit locations, and other high-need areas identified in coordination with community partners and public safety agencies.
The program will prioritize individuals experiencing homelessness, particularly those living outdoors or in places not meant for habitation, as well as people struggling with mental health conditions, substance use disorders, and chronic medical needs.
Each outreach team will include two Street Outreach Specialists and a clinician who will provide behavioral health assessments, crisis intervention, overdose prevention education, and connections to housing, medical care, behavioral health treatment, and other community resources.
Staff will also coordinate with hospitals, shelters, crisis response systems, and community providers to help ensure individuals receive ongoing care and support after their initial contact.
The program will be overseen by Robin Shorter, LCADC, CPRS, Senior Director of Community Engagement at Integrity House.
“People experiencing unsheltered homelessness often face complex challenges that can make it difficult to engage with traditional systems of care, housing, and other essential services,” said Shorter.
“It all starts with trust. Through consistent outreach and relationship building, our outreach teams will help connect individuals to the resources they need to improve their health, stability, and well-being.”