$300,000 Gift to Raritan Bay Medical Center Foundation to Enhance Behavioral Health Services at Raritan Bay Medical Center

Barry and Carol Anne Cawley Weshnak made a generous gift to support behavioral health services for patients in need at Raritan Bay Medical Center in Perth Amboy.

Hackensack Meridian Raritan Bay Medical Center Foundation received a gift of $300,000 from the Morris and Clara Weshnak Family Foundation, administered by Barry and Carol Anne Cawley Weshnak, that will establish the Barry and Carol Weshnak Behavioral Health Fund at Hackensack Meridian Raritan Bay Medical Center, located in Perth Amboy. The gift, made in honor of Mayer Ezer, M.D., FACP, internal medicine program director at Raritan Bay Medical Center and Barry and Carol Anne’s personal physician, will provide support for an additional nurse certified in substance abuse, or dually certified in substance abuse and psychiatric-mental health, and will fund the position over the next three years.

“The U.S. has long faced a critical shortage of inpatient behavioral health care units, with devastating societal consequences,” said William DiStanislao, MS, MPA, interim president and chief hospital executive of Raritan Bay Medical Center. “We have seen an extraordinary increase in the need for inpatient behavioral health and substance abuse services over the years and the pandemic catapulted that increase into overdrive. This generous gift from Barry and Carol Anne will greatly help us continue to provide the highest level of care to our patients by ensuring that our team is properly educated and prepared to address the unique needs of those impacted by behavioral health and substance abuse disorders.”

Substance abuse and mental illness co-occur in up to half of all people experiencing either of these issues. Certified substance abuse nurses are registered nurses who specialize in pain management and behavioral psychology and are educated in how to support patients undergoing therapy for drug or alcohol rehabilitation. Throughout treatment, substance abuse nurses assess patients, working alongside doctors to determine each patient’s unique needs to develop treatment plans. They monitor pain levels, medication dosages and mental and physical symptoms, educate families on the process of detox and rehabilitation and often provide resources for maintaining psychological health throughout the process.

“Addiction can be a multifaceted disease, which results in the need for inpatient dual diagnosis treatment,” says Dr. Ezer. “In these cases, alcohol and drugs have often been used to self-medicate, or their use results in brain changes that lead to emotional or psychological disorders. To recover fully, dual diagnosis treatment is required to address these problems, clear the path to sobriety and better ensure success in rehabilitation and relapse prevention. The addition of a certified substance abuse nurse will not only have an impact on more patients, but will be crucial as we anticipate growth and an increased need for dual diagnosis and treatment.”

In addition to the immediate impact on patients, the addition of certified substance abuse nurses will play a role in the future expansion of behavioral health services at Raritan Bay Medical Center as the hospital looks to grow these services for the community.

“There has  never been a greater need for increased services for behavioral health and substance abuse disorder treatment,” says Barry Weshnak. “We are so fortunate to be able to provide this gift to help make a difference in the lives of New Jersey residents facing one, or both, of these complicated issues. We hope that it will benefit all those in need.”

For more information about how you can support the behavioral health or substance abuse disorder programs at Raritan Bay Medical Center,  please contact Melissa Magyar, executive director, Raritan Bay Medical Center Foundation, at 732-324-5376, melissa.magyar@hmhn.org or visit Give.HackensackMeridianHealth.org/RaritanBay.