HACKENSACK MERIDIAN RARITAN BAY MEDICAL CENTER BEGINS CONSTRUCTION ON BEHAVIORAL HEALTH EXPANSION
(Perth Amboy, NJ – February 10, 2022) – Hackensack Meridian Raritan Bay Medical Center has begun construction on its multimillion dollar Behavioral Health expansion, with a new modern, warm and more natural light design. 

“We are excited that the construction on our new state-of-the-art Behavioral Health unit has begun,” said Robert C. Garrett, chief executive officer, Hackensack Meridian Health. “We look forward to opening the first phase of the Behavioral Health expansion later this summer.”

“Now more than ever it is important that we invest in the behavioral health infrastructure of our community,” said Senator Vitale, Speaker Coughlin and Assemblywoman Lopez. As the impact of the pandemic continues to create a sharp increase in the demand for mental health services, especially among our children, Hackensack Meridian Health’s investment to expand inpatient Behavioral Health services at Raritan Bay Medical Center meets a critical and urgent need. We applaud the hospital for this project and look forward to construction and ultimately addressing the needs of the Middlesex County community by making Raritan Bay Medical Center a center for excellence in Behavioral Health.”

“The Raritan Bay Medical Center Behavioral Health unit will become a specialized inpatient center for excellence that will serve adults, providing both Geriatric Psychiatric care and Dual Diagnosis (psychiatry/addiction) services. In addition, other specialty care programs will be added to the unit that will allow for patients and the community to receive comprehensive Behavioral Health services within a seamless continuum of care, close to home,” according to Don Parker the President of Behavioral Health Care Transformation Services for Hackensack Meridian.

"Preventing, treating, and supporting recovery from behavioral health problems is essential for communities to be healthy, safe, and successful," stated Mayor Helmin J. Caba, City of Perth Amboy. "I greatly appreciate Hackensack Meridian for their commitment to ensure everyone has the best chance to succeed by addressing the behavioral health needs of our residents."

The full completion of the project is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2023. 

About Hackensack Meridian Old Bridge Medical Center and Raritan Bay Medical Center:
For more than 100 years, Hackensack Meridian Raritan Bay Medical Center and Old Bridge Medical Center have provided a full continuum of health care services to residents of Central Jersey. Raritan Bay Medical Center is one of less than one percent of hospitals in the world to achieve Magnet Recognition, the “Gold Standard” for nursing practice, quality, and safety in patient care, four times. In 2019, U.S. News & World Report ranked Raritan Bay Medical Center as high performing in Orthopedics, Nephrology, COPD and Heart Failure.  

The medical center is a New Jersey state designated Primary Stroke Center and recipient of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines® Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award, recognizing optimal treatment of stroke patients. Raritan Bay is also a recipient of the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval and the AHA’s Heart Check Mark for Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers and the AHA’s Mission: Lifeline® EMS Gold Plus Performance Achievement Award recognizing high-quality care of patients experiencing a severe heart attack.

For more information, visit www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org/en/Locations/Raritan-Bay-Medical-Center. 

For copy of full release, click here