Mauricio “Max” Rodriguez knows that residents of Broadway House for Continuing Care have battled through many of life’s most difficult challenges. Medical conditions like HIV/AIDS. Loss and abandonment. Violence. Mental health issues. Homelessness. And substance abuse. At the heart of the care Max provides is something he tells every resident: “You are not alone.”
Max first joined the Broadway House staff in 2014. Currently a Medical Case Manager, he provides the extensive support our residents need to regain their health and go on to live independent lives in the community. That includes organizing support groups to help residents confront their demons and connect with others. “We need to be empathetic to their struggles—the daily battles and the demons they fight,” says Max. “I let them know that they are not alone. There are Broadway House staff members, like me, to guide them and help them in their journey.”
Growing up in Summit, NJ, Max understood the value of education early on. His parents told him, “The best inheritance we could ever leave you is your education.” A first generation student of Costa Rican descent, Max was the first student in the Summit school district to achieve perfect attendance in grades 1 through 12. At Drew University, he double majored in Spanish literature and political science, with a minor in Latin American studies, before earning a Master of Science in Administration and Human Services from Springfield College in Florida. Last month, he earned certification as a Medical Case Manager.
Max worked as a clinician at a psychiatric institute and as a case worker with elderly clients before coming to Broadway House. Now, the father of twin boys connects our residents with a wide range of services—counseling, group sessions, methadone clinics, access to social support programs, and more—to provide a strong safety net to ensure that all of his clients become healthier, stronger, and avoid drugs and alcohol before re-entering the community.
For Max, the best part of the job is working with his team to improve the health and well-being of Broadway House residents. He says, “After receiving certification as a Medical Case Manager, I’m now more knowledgeable about all of the needs of our residents and can help each person individually.”
