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<\/p>\nNYC Health + Hospitals\/North Central Bronx team improves lives of immigrant children struggling with developmental delays<\/p>\n
Our Bureau<\/p>\n
Bronx, NY<\/p>\n
Two Bronx families\u2014one from Ecuador and one from Togo\u2014found life-changing support for their young children with speech and developmental delays, thanks to the persistence of NYC Health + Hospitals\/North Central Bronx Community Health Workers (CHWs) Mariam Diakite and Desiree Martinez.<\/p>\n
Four-year-old Mateo arrived from Ecuador, unable to speak, relying only on gestures. Diakite and Martinez spent seven months navigating obstacles until he began receiving speech and occupational therapy twice a week.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe worked to ensure the parents felt comfortable sharing their concerns in their own language,\u201d said Diakite. Today, Mateo is happy, verbal, and thriving in preschool. His mother showed appreciation: \u201cMy child can now communicate and play with others. Without CHW support, this would not have been possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Similarly, Koffi, a five-year-old boy from Togo, could not hold a spoon or pencil and struggled to speak after his family entered the shelter system.<\/p>\n
Over three years, Martinez and Diakite coordinated referrals, escorted the family to appointments, and overcame missed evaluations and language barriers. \u201cEvery obstacle meant finding another solution,\u201d Martinez said.<\/p>\n
A turning point happened when Diakite, fluent in French, began accompanying the family to visits that finally led to consistent speech therapy and special education support. Koffi now attends kindergarten and after-school programs while his family lives stably in the Bronx.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Both families have requested anonymity due to ongoing immigration issues.<\/p>\n
CHW program support services include connecting patients and sending referrals to appropriate agencies, such as Early Intervention (EI), the Committee for Pre-School on Special Education (CPSE), and the Committee on Special Education (CSE).<\/p>\n
\u201cOur community health workers play a vital role connecting families to developmental, behavioral, and social services,\u201d said Dr. Elisa Karp, Attending Physician at North Central Bronx Hospital. \u201cFor immigrant families learning to navigate complex systems, their advocacy is transformative.\u201d<\/p>\n
North Central Bronx Hospital CHW Supervisor Hilda Reyes added, \u201cThese stories show how CHWs empower families and prevent delays in care that can change a child\u2019s life forever.\u201d<\/p>\n
In 2025 alone, the Pediatric CHW Program at North Central Bronx Hospital connected more than 460 at-risk children to critical services\u2014proof that determination, partnership, and cultural understanding might turn isolation into opportunity.<\/p>\n
\u201cCHWs serve as trusted advocates and cultural liaisons,\u201d said Hilda Reyes (center), CHW Supervisor.<\/p>\n
NYC Health + Hospitals\/Jacobi is a 457-bed teaching hospital affiliated with the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. The facility has earned numerous Center of Excellence designations, accreditation, and recognition for its renowned Level 1 Trauma Center, Burn Center, Surgical Intensive Care Unit, regional Stroke Center, Snakebite Treatment Center, Breast Health Center, Bariatric Surgery Center, and Cancer Service. The facility also offers the region\u2019s only multi-person hyperbaric chamber, allowing up to nine patients to dive together at one time. Jacobi\u2019s Ambulatory Care Pavilion is a stunning complement to its inpatient acute care, allowing staff to provide patients with high-quality service in a modern, state-of-the-art environment.<\/p>\n
About NYC Health + Hospitals\/North Central Bronx<\/p>\n
NYC Health + Hospitals\/North Central Bronx is a member facility of the New York City Health + Hospitals system, one of eleven acute care facilities within the City of New York. A 215-bed community hospital, North Central Bronx Hospital specializes in women\u2019s and children\u2019s services. It also provides Behavioral Health acute and ambulatory care. Its busy outpatient department has led the way in community-based care delivered in a compassionate and culturally-appropriate manner. Its Labor and Delivery service safely brings more than 1,000 babies into the world each year. North Central Bronx is committed to providing safe, high-quality medical care for any and all in need. For more information visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org\/north-central-bronx.<\/p>\n
About NYC Health + Hospitals<\/p>\n
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city\u2019s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system\u2019s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth \u2014all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible.<\/p>\n
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