Community Services
We understand that without addressing the psychosocial needs of our patients optimal health cannot be obtained. We are dedicated to improving the health outcomes of our consumers by helping them to maintain their sense of self-sufficiency, by strengthening families and thereby strengthening neighborhoods and communities.
Healing the individual
Alliance is committed to healing the whole individual, not just the physical body, but the emotions, mind, and social well being of our patients as well. To that end, Alliance’s Department of Community Services offers an extensive array of Social Services to the residents of Hudson County. To ensure accessibility to all, we sponsor health-based community based activities and events and bring many of our services into schools, agencies and local organizations.
Preventative Healthcare
Alliance Community Healthcare has been on the forefront of providing prevention services to adolescents and adults throughout Hudson County. Our Outreach staff and Community Liaisons provide workshops and evidence based programming wherever there is a recognized need. We have presented in schools, senior centers, health fairs, youth programs and houses of worship.
Our programming identifies and addresses the at risk behaviors of the participants and educates them on reducing their risks of exposure to sexually transmitted diseases, HIV, and Hepatitis C; as well as pregnancy prevention and Family Planning.
PrEP Services
As a part of our HIV Prevention Programming, Alliance offers Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis services, better known as “PrEP.”
PrEP is a way for HIV-negative individuals to reduce their risk of becoming infected if they are exposed to the virus by taking a single pill once a day.
PrEP is a powerful HIV prevention tool and can be combined with condoms and other prevention methods to provide even greater protection than when used alone. Individuals who use PrEP must commit to taking the drug every day and seeing their health care provider for follow-up every 3 months.
PrEP is not for everyone.
Federal Guidelines Recommend that PrEP be considered for people who are HIV-negative and at very high risk for HIV infection. This includes anyone who:
Is in an ongoing relationship with an HIV-positive partner
Has sex without condoms with a partner who is at high risk, who has been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease, or who is an IV drug user
Has sex without condoms with partners who do not know their HIV status.
For more information, please contact contact Margarita Cruz (mcruz@alliancech.org) at 201.451.6300 (ext. 2238).
Rapid HIV Testing & Counseling
Alliance Community Healthcare has been providing free and confidential, rapid HIV testing for over a decade. No appointment is necessary.
The rapid HIV test allows you to receive your results in minutes rather than days. Because it doesn’t require a second trip to a provider to receive results, the rapid HIV test helps ensure that people who go for testing learn their HIV status on the same visit.
What to Expect
Your fingertip is cleaned with alcohol and pricked with a lancet (needle) to get a small drop of blood. Results of the test can be read in as little as 20 minutes. The FDA approved rapid HIV test is a screening test for HIV. If the test is negative, you don’t need to get further testing. Like all HIV screening tests, if the rapid test yields a positive, you’ll need to get another test to confirm the result. All positive consumers are immediately linked with case management and healthcare services, providing a system of support and care to help ensure our patients achieve maximum health outcomes.
All who come in for Rapid HIV testing also receive prevention counseling and risk reduction services. Free condoms are available to all. Consumers can also be referred to an Alliance healthcare provider to be assessed for PrEP upon request.
Our Rapid HIV Testing Services can also be brought to your location. We have provided testing at health fairs, workshops, and related events.
Integrated Behavioral Health Services
The purpose of the Integrated Behavioral Health Program is to detect and address the broad spectrum of behavioral health needs among primary care patients with the aims of early identification, swift resolution of identified problems, long-term problem prevention, and maximum health outcomes.
Behavioral Health/ Counseling
Licensed Clinical Social Workers are available to provide professional counseling services to individuals, couples, families and groups ages 5 and up. The counselors play a critical role in helping people who are experiencing mental or emotional problems get their lives back on track. People seek counseling for many different things. Counseling is for mental illness as well as for specific life stresses of life & work
Mental health counseling is a formal, purposeful partnership between a client and a mental health professional. They assess, diagnose and treat people struggling with mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, stress, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder or other conditions.
Counseling is a process of varying lengths during which a mental health counselor and a client work together to explore problems and develop the skills and mind-set needed to transcend challenges and live a life of emotional health. The length of the counseling process varies depending on the individual and the mental health disorder or distress. It can continue anywhere from a few weekly sessions to months or, sometimes, years of occasional sessions.
Mental health counseling improves, and even saves, lives. Seeking counseling is a sign of courage and strength because it’s an important step in taking charge of mental health and creating the life that you deserve, a life worth living.
We're Here Whenever You Need Us
info@alliancech.org
Phone
option 8 for after hours
Open Hours
Mon - Fri: 8AM-6PM
Sat: 8AM-3PM
Address
115 Christopher Columbus Dr. Jersey City, NJ (07302)
Suites 100 & 101