The Center for Human Services has extensive experience in offering educational services to under-served communities, including providing training in English as a second language (ESL). CHS works domestically and internationally to strengthen health and human service programs and to provide education, training, and access to services for disadvantaged populations. The company also supports national and local efforts to improve educational opportunities for disadvantaged groups.
In the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region, CHS facilitates access to rehabilitative, vocational, health, and educational services for under-served communities, including migrant and seasonal farmworkers. Our role is to bridge language and cultural gaps by serving as a central resource and service center for populations who face obstacles to accessing services. Programs targeted to disadvantaged communities include preparation for high school equivalency, courses in English as a second language and civics education, and computer training. In addition, CHS offers vocational rehabilitation and services to prevent and manage diabetes. At the national level, CHS manages the Migrant Education Resource Center (MERC), which provides technical assistance, training, and dissemination of best practices to state education directors, school administrators, and teachers in support of migrant child identification and recruitment activities.
Federal agencies, such as the United States Department of Education, Office of English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement for Limited English Proficient Students (OELA) have looked to CHS, not only to directly offer educational services to communities, but to train teachers and administrators to teach English as a Second Language. In partnership with McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland, CHS developed and implemented a high quality bilingual education/ESL teacher training program. Through the project, CHS/McDaniel provided various professional development opportunities to public school teachers and administrators, including workshops, graduate courses in bilingual education, field experiences, and an intensive summer training institute.
The Center for Human Services also adminsters programs for at-risk populations. Under Prevention of High Risk Drinking Among College Students, CHS and McDaniel College developed and manages a program intended to engage first-year college students and fraternity/sorority members to address factors that foster high risk drinking. Goals include reducing the number of first-year students referred for disciplinary action or having academic issues resulting from alcohol.
Prevention of High Risk Drinking Among College Students
Client: United States Department of Education/Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools
Under a two-year grant awarded in 2007, CHS is designing and implementing a program to decrease by 5 percent high-risk drinking (HRD) at McDaniel College in Westminster, MD. The program is intended to engage first-year students and fraternity/sorority members to address factors that foster HRD. Goals include reducing the number of first-year students referred for disciplinary action or having academic issues resulting from alcohol. The program is also intended to decrease heavy alcohol consumption episodes and violations in dormitories as well as warnings and suspensions issued to fraternity/sorority organizations and alcohol-related assaults. Project description.
High School Equivalency Program
Client: United States Department of Education, Office of Migrant Education
CHS' programs in the United States continue to build on our 20-year working relationship with the migrant farmworker community with projects to facilitate access to rehabilitative, vocational, health and educational services for seasonal farm workers and their families including disabled migrant workers. In 2004 the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Migrant Education awarded CHS a five-year grant to continue to administer High School Equivalency Program(HEP) to migrant farm workers and their families in the mid-Atlantic region. The program offers education services to meet the needs of an educationally disadvantaged and ethnically diverse adult population of agricultural workers who migrate or perform seasonal work to earn their General Education Development (GED) certifications. Under this grant, CHS provides job readiness, counseling, life skills, health education, high school equivalency, and post secondary instruction to migrant farm workers and their families in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Providing service to approximately 100 participants each year, CHS has adapted the residential High School Equivalency Program model to meet the needs of migrant communities. CHS also coordinates a network of more than 120 agencies in a four-state area to provide or donate a variety of services to HEP participants. For example: school districts and church groups provide classrooms and in-kind support. Each of these programs has successfully drawn in community resources, often in-kind, to supplement grant funding. Project description.
Migratory Agricultural Workers and Seasonal Farmworkers with Disabilities Service Projects
Client: United States Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration
CHS provides a comprehensive program of rehabilitative counseling, education, and training services for disabled migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their families with a grant from the U.S. Department of Education in collaboration with the New Jersey Department of Labor. Farmworkers have a high rate of employment related injuries and many of the migrant workers have limited access or understanding of the services available to them. New Jersey Commission for the Blind donates eye exams and glasses, and local drug and alcohol agencies and county health departments routinely give educational assistance. Local hospitals, community health centers, and the business community in the region all participate and contribute to this program. CHS and the State of New Jersey Division of Vocational and Rehabilitation Services form a collaborative effort in order to ensure that each eligible consumer receives the most optimal services available to them from both agencies. As a result of this collaboration, CHS is able to help individuals with disabilities to recover from their disability and enroll in a training program or obtain an appropriate employment position. Project description.
English Literacy & Civics Education Program
Client: New Jersey State Department of Labor
Prime Contractor: Vineland City Public School System
In 2005 CHS began an innovative English Literacy and Civics Education Program directed to Southern New Jersey’s large Hispanic Community. Through a grant provided by the New Jersey State Department of Labor and in partnership with the Vineland, N.J. City Public School system, CHS administers a comprehensive program of ESL instruction for Hispanic adult learners at various levels of English language proficiency. In addition to ESL training, program participants are provided civics instruction intended to help build a more personalized knowledge of U.S. history, governance and democracy. Students learn U.S. laws and customs to prepare for the U.S. Naturalization tests as well as job skills and strategies to obtain and retain employment and advancement. The program also provides assistance with social and health-related issues and provides day-care while the parents study. Project description
IME Becas
The Institute for Mexicans Abroad and the Binational Education Initiative California Policy Research Center, University of California
The IME Becas Project supports efforts developed by Mexico and the United States to help raise the educational levels of the population of Mexican-origin living in the U.S. The project was awarded to the CHS to conduct a General Education Development (GED) program in 2005, 2006, 2007, and in 2008. Under the program, CHS offers educational services to Mexican immigrants to help them financially with small becas to earn their the General Education Diploma and learn English as a Second Language (ESL) and helps them to access higher education. Project description.
Community Health Mobilization: Reducing Diabetes Disparities
Client: New Jersey’s Department of Health and Senior Services/Office of Minority and Multicultural Health
Under a grant funded by the State of New Jersey, CHS has set up a diabetes management and services program to the Hispanic population living in Cumberland County, New Jersey, with a large Hispanic farm worker population. The project is aimed at reducing diabetes health disparities in this population where prevalence rates of diabetes and risk factors are especially high and access to health care and health service utilization are low. In partnership with Community Health Care Incorporated, a Federally Qualified Health Center which is contributing follow-up services including dental, medical and podiatry services. CHS is working to reduce risk factors and the incidence of diabetes in the target communities. The project seeks to mitigate the language and cultural barriers that inhibit this population from seeking services while also providing health, dietary and nutrition awareness and education. CHS also administers the American Diabetes Association Risk Test. Project description.
Migrant Education Resource Center
Client: United States Department of Education/Office of Migrant Education
The Migrant Education Resource Center is being established under the auspices of the U.S. Elementary and Secondary Act, also known as No Child Left Behind. This landmark legislation is designed to change the culture of America’s schools by closing the achievement gap among groups of students. As prime contractor, CHS draws on more than 20 years of experience providing education programs to migrant and seasonal farmworkers and outreach to Hispanic/Latino populations in the U.S. Project description.
Diagnostics Cost Analysis for the Developing World
Client: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has recognized that improving access to accurate diagnostic tools is critical to stemming the spread of these diseases as well as that of sexually transmitted and other infectious diseases. The Foundation, in January 2007, awarded the Center for Human Services (CHS) a grant to research potential demand for seven diagnostics of diseases that cause high morbidity and mortality in the developing world. Under this grant URC-CHS is contributing to the Gates Foundation’s vision of accelerating access to existing vaccines, drugs, and other tools to fight diseases that disproportionately affect developing countries and to find new health technologies that are effective, affordable, and practical for use in poor countries. Project description.
Plazas Comunitarias
Client: Government of Mexico
The Government of Mexico selected CHS New Jersey office as one of the sites in the U.S. for its long distance learning program. The Mexican Government’s ‘Plazas Comunitarias’ concept provides Mexican students in the U.S. with the opportunity to earn a Mexican secondary diploma via web-based education programming. CHS’ online platform integrates the Government of Mexico’s initiative but also incorporates additional content designed to meet the requirements of both the U.S. High School Equivalency Program and Vocational Rehabilitation. Students have access to content and website links in Spanish and English related to 14 topics, including education, health, math, science, literature, culture, career opportunities, and post-secondary education.
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