Voting

Finalists

INNOVATIONS IN HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

1. Community Health and Well-Being – Innovative service models improving behavioral health, social determinants of health, and overall community well-being.   

• Get FIT @Stockton

• Gloria Smith, Delta Community Support

• Mobile Acceleration Program, Virtua Health

• Love Lifts Us Up

• Michelle Napell Schwalbe, Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Mercer County (JFCS)

INNOVATIONS IN HEALTH EQUITY

2. Advancing Health Equity – Innovative models and strategies reducing health disparities, addressing social and economic conditions, and ensuring equitable access to care, especially for special populations such as older adults, people with intellectual disability, autism, behavioral health challenges, or physical disabilities.

• Shore Clubhouse

• Tom Pyle, NAMI / Trenton Psychiatric Hospital / NJ Behavioral Health Planning Council

• Cooper University Health Care – IDD Program

• Uzo Achebe, Children’s Home Society of New Jersey

• Mary Ellen Brogan, Woods System of Care

3. Community Voice and Impact – Novel strategies that amplify community voice, promote belonging, and influence policy or programs to improve health equity.

• United by Wellness

• Ayana Abdul-Raheem, Timbuk2 Academy

• Dr. Colette Barrow-Adams, University Hospital – Newark

• Maryville’s LGBTQIA+ Program

• Medical Legal Partnership, Camden Coalition

POPULATION HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 

4. Excellence in Population and Public Health – Innovative strategies improving clinical health outcomes, care coordination, and public health policy to create sustainable impact.

• The Rutgers Center for Integrated Care

• Salem Smart Start, The Cooperative

• Susan Caputo and Leone Murphy, Trinitas Regional Medical Center

• Dr. Rachel Haroz, Cooper University Health

• Matthew Chrystal, Bridgeway Behavioral Health Services

INNOVATIONS IN SOCIAL MOBILITY

5. Economic, Educational and Workforce Advancement – Innovative workforce development and economic mobility strategies, including educational strategies, that lead to a living wage and financial stability, especially for marginalized communities.

• Judge Mark Sandson

• Cydnee Phoenix, Center for Family Services

• New Jersey Mental Health Institute – Leadership Academy for Behavioral Healthcare Professionals

• Girl Scouts of Central and Southern New Jersey – DreamLab

• Occupational Training Center (OTC)

6. Housing and Community Development – Innovations in stable, attainable housing models that strengthen individuals, families, and communities.

• Ruth Halpern, TRU Partnership

• Decades Construction & Facilities Group

• Carmine Deo, Community Hope

• Charles Hassler, Habitat for Humanity of Salem County

• Fair Share Housing Center (FSHC)

INNOVATIONS IN SOCIAL SECTOR SYSTEMS

7. Innovative Philanthropy and Funding Strategies – Funders taking innovative approaches to social sector investment to drive impact.

• Robbinsville Township's Pay It Forward Initiative

• Atiya Weiss, Burke Family Foundation

• America’s Grow-A-Row

• Community Planning and Advocacy Council – Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP)

8. Transformative Partnerships – Innovative cross-sector partnerships solving complex social or environmental issues, particularly for those with complex needs.

• Freehold Borough, Neighborhood Connections to Health

• Pam Capaci, Hope Sheds Light

• Fredrick Keating, Rowan College of South Jersey

• Captain Vivian Coley, Camden County Police Department

• Children’s Specialized Hospital – Inclusive Healthy Communities Grant Program

9. Policy and Legislative Innovation – Innovations in policy reform, financial models, and legislative impact to improve service delivery and reduce barriers to care.

• Dan Keashen, Camden County Board of Commissioners

• Matthew Binder, Easterseals New Jersey

• Christopher James, RWJBarnabas Health