Grant will allow mental health program to continue

(Continued from Page 2) diversity and inclusion in the Belleville schools, said that, as a Latina, she saw the need to increase the availability of mental health providers from different cultures.

“It was really important not just to me, but to my community. We needed to do better and have more mental health clinicians who understand our families’ backgrounds,” she said. “This also creates opportunities for young mental health practitioners.”

Kean associate professor Jennifer Block-Lerner, director of the Department of Advanced Studies in Psychology, said the grant is “a fantastic reflection of the intersection of science and practice, as well as the value of university/community partnerships.”

The graduate students working in Belleville now, who will continue through the grant, see their work making a difference.

Blanca Garcia is in her second year in the combined school and clinical psychology doctoral program. She commutes from Queens twice a week to work with elementary and middle school children in Belleville’s Diversity, Health and Wellness drop-in center. She helps children with issues such as transitioning to a new grade or to the district, bullying, and anger and crisis management. The daughter of Salvadoran immigrants, Garcia is fluent in Spanish.

“I have students who were able to express themselves in Spanish, and I saw how helpful it was for them,” she said. “As a minority student, I know what it is like to go to a school without representation; (representation) matters and makes a difference.”

Gabrielle Denicola, of Oradell, a fourth-year doctoral student at Kean, counsels Belleville High School students.

“I think this mental health support greatly helps our students by providing a safe space for kids,” she said. “Students know they can speak to a counselor about any concern and feel empowered to express themselves in a supportive, inclusive environment.”

The grant team also includes, from the Kean Department of Advanced Studies in Psychology, professor Adrienne Garro, assistant professor Aditi Vijay and associate professor Keri Giordano.