December 20, 2021
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Wishing you and yours lots of joy, peace, and love this holiday season.
The Promise of Community-Driven Science

An important difference between citizen science and community science is power sharing. In citizen science, funding usually goes to scientists and their organizations, and they typically control decisions about what issues to study. In community science, the scientist often shares ownership of a project with a community, and community members help determine the research questions based on their needs. 

Maternal Depression Associated with Long-Term Economic Instability

Women who experienced depression in the year following childbirth were more likely to be unemployed and experience financial hardship up to 15 years later, according to a Rutgers study.
Upcoming Events
New Jersey Birth Equity Funders Alliance

CALL FOR APPLICATONS: Community Advisory Committee Members


As one of its formative actions, the Alliance is setting up a Community Advisory Fund that will provide funding to New Jersey based CBOs on an annual basis for their capacity building needs. A Community Advisory Committee will govern the Community Advisory Fund and will help guide the focus and approach to its grantmaking. In 2022 and beyond, the Alliance plans to launch additional grant RFPs, and the Community Advisory Committee will work jointly with the Alliance to evaluate grant request submissions. The Alliance is now seeking members for this Community Advisory Committee, application deadline is 12/31.
EBIN NEW YORK

Now through December 31

EBIN New York is donating Personal Protective Equipment (masks, face shields, and hand sanitizers) to community-based organizations, churches, and nonprofit organizations located in the state of New Jersey as part of their Holiday Giveback. Donated items can be picked up at the EBIN NEW YORK showroom located at 100 W Commercial Ave. Moonachie, NJ 07074.
National Health News
Maternal Health

On December 7th, the White House hosted the first-ever Maternal Health Day of Action with a nationwide call-to-action to address maternal mortality and morbidity. 
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a new report and made a number of announcements on policy changes and investments to support safe pregnancies and reduce health disparities across the nation. Please find a listing of these efforts below:

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
The Office of Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE)
Funding Opportunities
The Horizon Foundation

The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey only considers requests submitted by organizations located in New Jersey that have tax-exempt classifications under Sections 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. The Foundation will consider funding the state or regional office for organizations with multiple chapters or multiple affiliates operating in New Jersey. The Foundation will also consider funding local chapters or affiliates of organizations with state or regional offices by invitation only. Considerations for higher education applicants New Jersey universities and accredited colleges may submit one grant application per calendar year through their institution’s foundation. Application deadline is January 26. Learn more here.
Community Resources
New Jersey COVID-19 Information Hub: The State of New Jersey has put together a list of resources about the COVID-19 virus including testing sites, signs and symptoms, and FAQs about social services. 

You can find community-based and local COVID-19 testing site locations and hours here.

Middlesex County residents can register for a free COVID-19 test at sites throughout the county. Appointments required. The sites provide saliva-based test kits developed at Rutgers University.

Visit New Jersey’s COVID-19 Vaccine Registration site to pre-register for the vaccine. New Jersey's Covid-19 Vaccine Appointment Call Center can be reached at 855-568-0545.
New Jersey Alliance for Clinical and Translational Science

This newsletter is supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under award number, UL1TR003017 to Rutgers University. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not represent the official views of the NIH.

You are receiving this newsletter because you are a member of NJ ACTS or have signed up to receive our emails. To add a subscriber, please click here.

Send story ideas to njactscommunity@rwjms.rutgers.edu

Copyright 2021 New Jersey Alliance for Clinical and Translational Science, all rights reserved.