Event will raise funds to support behavioral health services at Raritan Bay Medical Center

PERTH AMBOY – On Thursday,  Sept. 14, Hackensack Meridian Raritan Bay Medical Center Foundation will host the return of its Art Show at Hackensack Meridian Raritan Bay Medical Center to raise funds to support behavioral health services and the expansion of its behavioral health unit. The Art Show will feature 20 artists with works ranging in pottery, photography, water color and other mediums.

“One in four Americans struggles with a mental health issue at some point in their lives, which is why quality and reliable behavioral health services are more important than ever before,” said Patricia Carroll, FACHE, president and chief hospital executive of Raritan Bay Medical Center and Hackensack Meridian Old Bridge Medical Center. “We have come a long way to ensure we have specialty care available to our patients and their loved ones in Perth Amboy and our surrounding communities. Our team at Raritan Bay Medical Center has accomplished much so we can provide the best-in-class behavioral health services to our patients. I look forward to gathering with our local artists and dedicated community at our Art Show to support behavioral health!”

The behavioral health unit, which will celebrate its grand opening this fall, will become a regional hub and certified inpatient Behavioral Health Center of 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. The opening of the first phase of the behavioral health expansion project has taken place, with 24 beds open, and the full project is expected to be complete in the third quarter of 2023 with 81 beds.

“For more than 25 years, Raritan Bay Medical Center has worked with local artists to showcase and sell their art,” said Stephen Maher, executive director of Raritan Bay Medical Center Foundation. “I am so pleased that we are hosting our fundraiser this year so they can exhibit and sell their work for a beneficial cause – to support integral behavioral health care in our community. We have such talented artists and dedicated donors joining us for this fantastic event. It will be a great night for all!”

The Raritan Bay Medical Center Foundation Art Show’s Platinum Sponsor is the Raritan Bay Medical Staff.

The event will serve hors d’oeuvres and feature music by Heal4Music, a student-driven organization that hopes to spread joy and happiness through the use of our learnings in music. To attend the Art Show, please visit GiveHMH.org/RBMCArt. To learn how you can support Raritan Bay Medical Center Foundation, contact Stephen Maher at stephen.maher@hmhn.org.

About Hackensack Meridian Raritan Bay Medical Center and Old Bridge 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.rbmc.org.