Press Release

July 19, 2006
Contact Kaylyn Kendall Dines/Anna Farneski
(973) 972-3000

UMDNJ Opens Facilities In North and Central NJ to Offer Comprehensive,
Culturally Tailored Mental Health Services for Hispanic Community

NEW BRUNSWICK — Clínica Latina, a comprehensive facility that provides culturally sensitive mental health services for the Hispanic community, opened on two campuses of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. The announcement was made today by Dr. Bruce C. Vladeck, interim president of UMDNJ, during a ribbon-cutting event today at Clínica Latina, 189 New St., New Brunswick.

Located in New Brunswick and Newark, bi-lingual psychiatrists, psychologists, and mental health clinicians will provide out-patient mental health services. In Newark, Clinica Latina will be located at University Behavioral HealthCare offices at 183 South Orange Ave.

Appointments are being accepted by calling a toll-free helpline, 1-888-34AYUDA, which is staffed by Spanish speaking clinicians between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on weekdays.

“UMDNJ now offers improved mental health care services for Hispanic families throughout Central and Northern New Jersey,” said Dr. Vladeck. “The lessons we learn and the outcomes of research we conduct will be shared with mental health professionals throughout the state to help eliminate health disparities. We want all New Jerseyans to benefit from this important work.”

Clínica Latina is a collaborative effort between UMDNJ ’s University Behavioral HealthCare and UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School’s Department of Psychiatry.

“Research outcomes indicate a difference in the ways racial and ethnic groups experience mental illness,” said Christopher O. Kosseff, president and CEO of UMDNJ’s University Behavioral HealthCare. “U.S. Census Bureau statistics showed an increase of almost 400,000 Hispanic people in New Jersey between 1990 and 2000. These statistics represent a 47 percent increase in Newark and an 87 percent increase in New Brunswick. As demographics in New Jersey change, we want to address the needs of the people in the communities UMDNJ serves.”

Clinica Latina will also provide educational and training opportunities for new physicians at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

“Clínica Latina offers a three-pronged approach to providing comprehensive mental health services which are tailored specifically for men, women and children in the Hispanic community,” said Dr. Javier I. Escobar, chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and a nationally recognized researcher in mental health care that focuses on the Hispanic population. “Clínica Latina represents a consolidation of UMDNJ services and our community-based partnerships are essential in helping us identify and treat families who are in need mental health services.”

An interdisciplinary team of mental health professionals will combine their expertise to address disparities treat patients, educate mental health professionals throughout the state, and conduct research that focuses on mental health issues affecting this chronically underserved population. Psychotherapy, medication management, family therapy, group therapy for trauma, substance abuse, bereavement, anger management, and stress management are among the clinical services that are offered.

Today, the first cultural competence case seminar was also held as part of a series of free monthly seminars kicked off for nurses, social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, and representatives from community-based organizations statewide. The monthly seminars will help mental health professionals serve multicultural populations.

For more information, call Clínica Latina at 1-888-34AYUDA (1-888-342-9832) or visit http://ubhc.umdnj.edu/clinicaLatina/ or email clinicalatina@cmhc.umdnj.edu.

UMDNJ is the nation ’s largest free-standing public health sciences university with more than 5,500 students attending the state's three medical schools, its only dental school, a graduate school of biomedical sciences, a school of health related professions, a school of nursing and a school of public health on five campuses. Annually, there are more than two million patient visits at UMDNJ facilities and faculty at campuses in Newark, New Brunswick/Piscataway, Scotch Plains, Camden and Stratford. UMDNJ operates University Hospital, a Level I Trauma Center in Newark, and University Behavioral HealthCare, a mental health and addiction services network.