Stacey has always called New Jersey home. It is where she grew up, where she is raising her three children—Josiah (3), Tiffany (13), and Michael (22)—and where, through some of life’s hardest moments, she has found steady support at Zufall Health Community Health Centers. For three generations, Zufall has been part of her family’s story.
Now, with HealthySteps, that care has grown even deeper, reaching beyond the exam room to support Stacey and her children through life’s realities.
Stacey has carried a lot for her family. A physical condition makes it difficult for her to work full-time, and she is the primary caregiver for her children. When a fire damaged their family home while Josiah was still a baby, the challenges she was already managing became overwhelming. In an instant, the family lost their place to live, many of their belongings, and the sense of stability that was especially important for her toddler, Josiah, and for Tiffany, who is diagnosed with autism and ADHD.
As Stacey searched for affordable housing in a tough market, she and her children moved between temporary arrangements, trying to hold on to routines wherever they could. Then Lesly, Stacey’s HealthySteps Specialist, connected her with a nearby community organization. Through Essex County Family and Partners, Stacey found an apartment that exceeded her expectations. Lesly also reached out to colleagues at Zufall, who helped the family replace everyday essentials lost in the fire, including plates and silverware.
“All of a sudden, I had to start from scratch. The support from my HealthySteps Specialist took a big weight off my shoulders.“
– Stacey B., HealthySteps mom
“She is a wonderful mother who is never afraid to ask questions or seek support when she needs it. Even during some of life’s most difficult moments, she has an incredible ability to find hope and maintain a positive outlook.“
– Lesly, HealthySteps Specialist, Zufall Health
Practical Support, Lasting Trust
For Stacey, whose mother lives in another state and whose other close family members have passed away, the team at Zufall has become a life-changing support system. The care they provide is not transactional. That support continues between appointments, through check-in calls and the reassurance that Stacey can reach out with a question or concern at any time.
The team listens closely, understands the needs of the whole family, and helps connect Stacey with practical resources and information when she needs them most.
These days, Josiah is a chatty, energetic toddler who wants to join in whatever his mom or siblings are doing. With secure housing in place, Stacey can focus on what comes next: helping him get ready to start pre-K in the fall and encouraging him to wear the glasses he needs to support his vision development. At their next visit, she plans to ask Lesly for tips—another reminder that, for Stacey, support from Zufall and HealthySteps is not limited to moments of crisis. It is an ongoing relationship she can count on.
“Stacey carries herself with grace, strength, and resilience. While I have had the privilege of supporting her through the HealthySteps program, I often feel that I am learning just as much from her as she is from me.”
– Lesly, HealthySteps Specialist, Zufall Health
“Lesly feels like family.”
– Stacey, HealthySteps mom
The HealthySteps program at Zufall Health was made possible in large part thanks to federal investment from the Health Resources and Services Administration and will remain sustainable in part due to recent New Jersey legislation (P.L. 2025, c.369) that requires insurance companies to reimburse providers for preventive behavioral health services for children.