From Maplewood Township:
September 23, 2024
Earlier this year, Maplewood began partnering with the Collaborative Support Programs of NJ (CSPNJ) to provide homeless outreach and engagement. CSPNJ is a
CSPNJ staff members are scheduled for outreach in Maplewood Tuesday through Saturday at varying shifts, totaling twenty hours a week. Staff members visit locations
Since the program started in May, CSPNJ has engaged with over 15 unhoused individuals. Because CSPNJ is “peer led”, staff members have lived experience with the homeless system and have a first-hand understanding of the many factors that can lead to homelessness including mental health issues, substance use, lack of support systems, poor health, language barriers, and the difficulty to navigate the complex social service system. By building relationships and establishing trust, CSPNJ We haves achieved successes such as:
- Relocating and providing transportation to individuals who qualify for respite services.
- Providing bus tickets so that individuals can access social services.
- Coordinating shelter placement.
- Transporting and connecting interested individuals to their local Community Wellness Center in Newark, where they provide a variety of services including documentation assistance, mental health and substance use service linkage, same day detox services, food, clothing, social support, support groups, legal aid, medical health services and unemployment assistance.
- Assisting families with documentation forms for affordable housing applications.
In collaboration with the Maplewood Health Department and Crisis Intervention Social Workers, this program also focuses on assisting individuals and families at risk of homelessness to prevent home loss. As part of this outreach, CSPNJ staff are available at the Maplewood Library, 129 Boyden Ave., from 12:00 to 2:00 pm on Saturdays to help residents complete online applications for social services, including affordable housing, rental and utility assistance, employment, health insurance, food stamps, WIC and disability benefits.
If you or someone you know is homeless or at risk of homelessness, and would benefit from CSPNJ’s assistance, please contact the CSPNJ warmline at (848) 234-7006. Leave a message with the date, time, location, and identifying characteristic such as name, height, gender and/or outfit colors. The CSPNJ staff will respond that day if they are on shift, connect with the individual on the next business day, or schedule a support meeting during their Saturday hours at the library.
For an emergency (for example, someone is out in the cold) or if someone is at risk for harming themselves or others, please call 9-1-1 to reach the Maplewood Police Department.
Related Village Green coverage:
Maplewood Votes to Develop Proposal for Homeless Services
Maplewood Grapples With Rising Homelessness, Late-Night Noise in Parks
