$3 Million Gift from the H. Hovnanian Family Foundation to Endow Behavioral Health Chair at Hackensack Meridian Health 

Generous gift will leave lasting legacy to improve and advance behavioral health in New Jersey 

Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation is pleased to announce a $3 million gift from the H. Hovnanian Family Foundation to create The H. Hovnanian Family Foundation Endowed Chair in Behavioral Health at Hackensack Meridian Health. This is the first endowed chair funded by the H. Hovnanian Family Foundation at Hackensack Meridian Health and will support the work of Gary Small, M.D., chair, Department of Psychiatry, Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center and physician-in-chief, Behavioral Health, Hackensack Meridian Health, as the inaugural chair holder. 

“It is with great pleasure that my family and I make this generous gift to fund the H. Hovnanian Family Foundation Endowed Chair in Behavioral Health at Hackensack Meridian Health,” said Edele Hovnanian. “The continued need for compassionate and innovative behavioral health services in New Jersey is great, and it is our hope that this gift will ensure that Hackensack Meridian Health remains committed to advancing research and care services for patients and their loved ones for years to come.” 

Dr. Small joined Hackensack Meridian Health in November 2020 and oversees all professional and administrative activities within the Behavioral Health Care Transformation Service. Prior to joining Hackensack Meridian Health, Dr. Small was a professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences, Parlow-Solomon professor on aging at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, director of the Division of Geriatric Psychiatry at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, and director of the UCLA Longevity Center. He is known nationally and internationally for his public work in promoting the practice of psychiatry and innovative research on brain health and aging.

“We are so heartwarmingly moved by the continued generosity of the H. Hovnanian Family Foundation,” said Joyce P. Hendricks, president and chief development officer, Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation. “This particular gift has the incredible power to make a lasting difference in the lives of behavioral health patients and their loved ones for years to come. We are truly grateful for this extraordinary gift.” 

Among his other duties within the network’s behavioral health services, Dr. Small oversees educational programs and training, is responsible for clinical operations of the department, develops and expands research and academic programs, and develops and maintains quality initiatives. He also leads Hackensack Meridian Health’s recruiting efforts for physicians within the behavioral health field.

“I am honored to be the inaugural chair of The H. Hovnanian Family Foundation Endowed Chair in Behavioral Health at Hackensack Meridian Health, as funded by the generosity of the H. Hovnanian Family Foundation,” said Dr. Small. “I am grateful for this generous gift, which will allow Hackensack Meridian Health, and our behavioral health care teams throughout the network, to be a leading provider of psychiatric care services in New Jersey. We will be able to  have a major impact during this challenging time for many of those in our community suffering from behavioral health issues.”

To learn more about how you can make a gift to support behavioral health at Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation, contact Michael Loch, director of Development, Behavioral Health, at 908-281-1495, Michael.Loch@hmhn.org, or visit https://www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org/Donate.