Thread: Middlesex, NJ: Need for Spanish language social services inf

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Office would reach out to Hispanic residents
Sunday, February 24, 2008
BY DIANE C. WALSH
Star-Ledger Staff

A new study that identified problems in the delivery of social services to Middlesex County's Hispanic population has become the impetus for a new county Office on Hispanic Affairs.

County officials expect to complete a grant application this week in hopes of winning an award from the state Department of Community Affairs to create the new office.

The move comes less than two weeks after the Middlesex County Hispanic Affairs Commission released a report showing most of the 110 programs and agencies providing social services in the county do not have bilingual staffers or volunteers to help the Hispanic community.

Hispanics make up 17 percent of the county's population, which equals about 134,000 of the county's 787,000 residents, according to the estimates in the 2006 U.S. Census survey.

The largest Hispanic populations are in Perth Amboy, New Brunswick, Carteret and Woodbridge. The Hispanic and Latino residents in those communities range from 70 percent of the population in Perth Amboy to 16 percent in Woodbridge.

Thomas Seilheimer, director of the county Department of Human Service, which assisted in the study, said the findings show "there is not a lack of services but communication difficulties and problems with disseminating information."

He said a Hispanic Affairs Office could work with the agencies to recruit more bilingual workers and improve community outreach.

Rutgers University assisted the county Hispanic Affairs Commission in the study, which was based on surveys completed by 110 social service agencies and programs in the county.

While the study showed 75 percent of the agencies served Hispanic and Latino clients in 2005, the services reached 10 percent of the county's Hispanic population.

Freeholder Blanquita Valenti, the first Hispanic member of the freeholder board, was instrumental in establishing the Hispanic Affairs Commission two years ago. Valenti, who is also a New Brunswick councilwoman, was born and raised in Puerto Rico. She is a founder of the Puerto Rican Congress of New Jersey.

Jeffrey Vega, who chaired the commission, said the study was a "first step that we anticipate will begin to address some of the needs of the county's rapidly growing Hispanic community."

In addition to establishing a Hispanic affairs office, the commission also recommended establishing a Spanish-language capability on the county website; providing all social service agency and county forms in Spanish; and increasing outreach to the Hispanic community so there is more awareness of the available services.

Diane C. Walsh may be reached at dwalsh@starledger.com or (732) 404-8087.

What a load of crap....wake up illinois!!!

A new study that identified problems in the delivery of social services to Middlesex County's Hispanic population has become the impetus for a new county Office on Hispanic Affairs.

County officials expect to complete a grant application this week in hopes of winning an award from the state Department of Community Affairs to create the new office.

.......and increasing outreach to the Hispanic community so there is more awareness of the available services.

Soliciting clients at added tax-payers expense????

How about a better solution--those who speak Spanish learn English.

Politics has been said to be the second oldest profession. I believe it bears a close resemblance to the first.

Hispanic Affairs Commission

Is there an AMERICAN Affairs Commission....otherwise it is racist!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by legalatina

...

Hispanics make up 17 percent of the county's population, ...

They do not say what percent of Hispanics can't get by in English. Just because there are many Hispanics does not mean there's a communication problem. They could be trying to set up Spanish language services out of sympathy for Latino culture, pushing it through by claiming a need that isn't really there.

More frigging pandering...they need to learn English.period.

Originally Posted by dad3war8ucks

Originally Posted by legalatina

...

Hispanics make up 17 percent of the county's population, ...

They do not say what percent of Hispanics can't get by in English. Just because there are many Hispanics does not mean there's a communication problem. They could be trying to set up Spanish language services out of sympathy for Latino culture, pushing it through by claiming a need that isn't really there.

That's a good point. And whatever happened to bringing along a family member, friend, or neighbor who can translate? This is what was done in the past with other non-English speakers. Why is the onus on the U.S. taxpayers to provide services in Spanish?

In addition to establishing a Hispanic affairs office, the commission also recommended establishing a Spanish-language capability on the county website; providing all social service agency and county forms in Spanish; and increasing outreach to the Hispanic community so there is more awareness of the available services.

In all fairness to the underdog....where are those services?

I live in that county. Many illegal aliens from Mexico in New Brunswick. Perth is now majority Dominican..was previously Puerto Rican (not illegal aliens). Some towns saw influx of illegals from Brazil and I guess some on work visas? Maybe that has slowed since catch and release was ended at the Mexican border. Hopefully id's are verified and only those with legal status are eligible.
Large Asian Indian population in Edison...problably hundreds of them illegal (Homeland Security press release in Oct 2007 states over 200,000 nationwide). ...expired visas and sneaking thru Canadian border. Many illegal apartments and rooming houses cited by code enforcement in neighboring Woodbridge, NJ.

The applicants for benefits who cannot speak english can bring a person who does speak both english and spanish. It's done all the time. This state is broke and should not be spending on duplicate services. The state is going to present a budget with major reductions in spending and freeezes in spending. And there are already bilingual workers in government social services.