Jan 10, 2024 Important Advancements in Children’s Services

Children’s Specialized Hospital is expanding and enhancing pediatric services throughout the region.

child stretching on a yoga ball

In a series of recent expansions and improvements, Children’s Specialized Hospital (CSH), part of the Children’s Health Network of RWJBarnabas Health, has significantly enhanced inpatient and outpatient care for children with special health care needs from birth to age 21.

“Over the past several years, CSH has grown immensely,” says Matthew B. McDonald III, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer, CSH. “It is our mission to meet the unmet needs of children with special health care needs, including increased access to specialized rehabilitation care.”

Opening New Outpatient Centers

CSH has opened and expanded facilities in communities lacking access to its specialized care. This includes the opening of expanded outpatient centers in Bayonne and Toms River, as well as new outpatient centers in Eatontown, Somerset and Union—all of which offer state-of-the-art amenities. At the beginning of 2024, a new and expanded outpatient center will also open in East Brunswick.

Offering Unique Services and Programs

Care at CSH focuses on conditions and diagnoses that are often undertreated in children and young adults with special health care needs. In addition to CSH’s standard medical and therapeutic services, children now have access to several unique, highly specialized services including:

Expanding Programs and Strengthening Community Health

In addition to expanding its physical footprint to increase access, CSH is meeting current and prospective patients and families where they are, learning their biggest needs in the health care setting and beyond, and putting that information into action to make positive changes in surrounding communities.

CSH’s Center for Discovery, Innovation and Development (CDID) is uniquely positioned to develop, innovate and discover solutions to advance the lives of those with special health challenges by addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) and improving the lives of the most vulnerable patients and families.

In one initiative that’s making a big impact, SDOH screenings have been implemented across all 15 CSH sites across the state. These screenings have helped the CSH team identify and support the needs of thousands of families in New Jersey who are challenged by food insecurity, housing, transportation and legal issues, among others.

Achieving High Marks

CSH was recognized as one of Newsweek’s World’s Best Specialized Hospitals in 2022 and 2023. In 2022, CSH also ranked in the 100th percentile for the entire year in the Functional Independence Measure for Children (WeeFIM), which tracks disability status in children and the gains they have made by the time they are discharged.

Says Dr. McDonald: “Our WeeFIM ranking reconfirms what we already knew—that we are the No. 1 pediatric rehabilitation hospital in the nation. Thanks to the steadfast commitment of our innovative and skilled team, we are able to ensure that when a patient is discharged from our care, they are returning home with the best possible outcomes.”

At Children’s Specialized Hospital, we provide world-class care for children and young adults who face special health challenges across the state of New Jersey and beyond. We treat everything from chronic illnesses and complex physical disabilities, like brain and spinal cord injuries, to a full scope of developmental, behavioral and mental health concerns. We have convenient locations throughout the state:

To learn more about outpatient programs and services at Children’s Specialized Hospital or to schedule an appointment, call 888-244-5373.

Healthy Together winter 2024View full issues of Healthy Together magazine by New Jersey region:
Northeast, serving the community of Jersey City Medical Center in Jersey City
Northwest, serving the communities of Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville, Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Rahway, and Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth
Central, serving the communities of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Hamilton, New Brunswick and Somerset
South, serving the communities of Community Medical Center in Toms River, Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, and Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus in Lakewood