La Casa de Don Pedro, a Newark, N.J. community development organization, celebrated the grand opening of the $1.2 million El Barrio Wellness, a comprehensive mental health center located at 76 Clinton Ave., the former home of fellow community development organization, El Club del Barrio.
Once a haven for Puerto Rican families and a pillar of support during Newark’s HIV/AIDS and drug crises in the 1980s, the three-story brick building has been reimagined to meet one of today’s most pressing challenges: community mental health.
“El Barrio Wellness represents the kind of community-centered investment that defines Newark’s future. This facility isn’t just about access to healthcare, it’s about empowerment, dignity and opportunity for our residents,” said Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. “By bringing preventive services, education and wellness resources directly into the neighborhood, La Casa de Don Pedro is helping us build a stronger, healthier Newark from the ground up.”
El Barrio Wellness offers bilingual, trauma-informed counseling for children, adults and families. Services include individual and family therapy, group sessions and community workshops.
“Too often, solutions come from outside our neighborhoods,” said Peter T. Rosario, president and CEO of La Casa de Don Pedro. “El Barrio Wellness is built by the people it serves and is rooted in the same spirit that made ‘El Club del Barrio’ a beacon decades ago.”
Backed by a range of community supporters, including RWJBarnabas Health and the New Jersey Department of Children and Families, the facility will grow to host 15 to 20 clinicians in its next phase, offering both in-person and telehealth sessions, with future plans to include early-childhood, school-based and preventative mental health programs that address the full continuum of care.
Founded in the 1970s as a neighborhood club supporting Newark families, the original El Club del Barrio grew to offer daycare, English as a second language (ESL) classes and HIV/AIDS outreach during some of the city’s most challenging decades. Its eventual transformation into El Barrio Wellness, operated by La Casa de Don Pedro, builds directly on that tradition of care, connection and community leadership, the company said.
