Rehabilitation at Hackensack Meridian Health

Disorders of Consciousness Rehabilitation in New Jersey

What is the Disorders of Consciousness (DoC) rehab program?

Our inpatient Disorder of Consciousness Program provides specialized rehabilitation for individuals who have experienced a severe brain injury and are in a vegetative or minimally conscious state. These injuries can be caused by severe traumatic brain injury, an anoxic brain injury or a stroke. Led by a team of brain injury experts, the program uses advanced assessments and targeted therapies to stimulate brain recovery, identify signs of awareness, and support families through every step of the healing process.

Understanding the Different States

When a person experiences a severe brain injury their awareness and responsiveness may be significantly affected. Doctors use specific terms to describe these different states, which helps guide treatment and set realistic expectations for recovery.

Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome (previously known as Vegetative State)

A person with Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome shows signs of wakefulness, but they do not show signs of awareness. This means their eyes may open, and they may have sleep-wake cycles, but they do not appear to understand or respond meaningfully to what is happening around them.

Minimally Conscious State

A person in a Minimally Conscious State shows clear but inconsistent signs of awareness of themselves or their environment. They may be able to inconsistently interact with people and their environment.

What are the goals of the DoC program?

Recovery from a severe brain injury is a complex journey, and our program is designed to address the unique needs of each patient and family. Goals include:

1. Communication

Because awareness can change from day to day, our first goal is to observe and evaluate exactly what your loved one can hear, see, understand, and feel. We use standardized assessment tools such as the Coma Recovery Scale - Revised (CRS-R) to look for signs of awareness and establish the most accurate diagnosis possible. From there, we work on finding a reliable way for your loved one to communicate so their needs and preferences can be understood.

2. Awareness and Responsiveness

Our therapists use targeted sensory stimulation to encourage your loved one's brain to respond to the world around them. This may include familiar sounds like a favorite song or a family member's voice, gentle touches, specific scents, and meaningful visual cues such as photos of loved ones. This is designed to stimulate the brain and promote greater awareness over time.

3. Medical Management

Lengthy hospitalizations can lead to a variety of medical complications, and our medical team focuses on preventing them before they occur. This includes carefully managing medications, ensuring proper nutrition, protecting the skin from breakdown, and providing skilled therapies to keep muscles and joints flexible and pain-free. Daily medical oversight helps create the best possible foundation for recovery.

4. Maximizing Everyday Function

As your loved one shows signs of readiness, we help them begin to relearn basic functions. This might involve helping them sit upright in a specialized wheelchair to improve breathing and alertness, working on safe swallowing, or guiding their arms and legs through movements to build strength and prevent stiffness. Each small step forward is an important part of the recovery process.

5. Education and Caregiver Training

A major goal of our program is to support and educate families and caregivers. We will help you understand your loved one's condition, teach you how to safely interact with and care for them, and provide the emotional support you need during this challenging time. When families feel informed and prepared, they become powerful partners in their loved one's recovery.

6. Preparing for the Next Steps

Recovery from a severe brain injury is a marathon, not a sprint. Whether your loved one's next step is transitioning to a different level of care or returning home, we will help you plan thoughtfully for the future. Our team works to ensure you have the equipment, resources, and confidence needed for a smooth and safe transition—so you never feel alone in navigating what comes next.

The Acute Disorders of Consciousness rehab program at HMH JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute

Acute rehabilitation services are provided 365 days a year, 24 hours a day by rehabilitation nursing and physicians specializing in brain injury rehabilitation medicine. Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Physical Therapy are provided 365 days a year, from 7am -4:30 pm. These services are provided 5 days out of every 7 based on individual patient needs. Social Work and Recreation Therapy, as well as Neuropsychology and Rehabilitation Psychology, are provided 5-6 days a week during the hours of 7am-5 pm.

Other services available to all patients every day in Acute inpatient rehabilitation on site include, Medical Consultations, Diagnostic Radiology services, Laboratory Services and Pharmacy Services, as available in HMH JFK University Medical Center.

Patients in this program are referred from hospital and physician providers throughout the following areas: HMH network; local, regional, statewide, national, and international facilities. Payers include both government sponsored (Medicare, Medicaid), as well as third party payers, including commercial insurances, workers’ compensation, motor vehicle insurance, and private/self pay. All insurances are verified for coverage prior to the initiation of services. Fees for services can be obtained through the Client Services department.

All services are provided directly at the HMH JFKUMC Johnson Rehabilitation Institute.

This program does not deliver services via information and technology services.

2025 Acute Disorder of Consciousness Program Statistics:

The Sub-Acute Disorders of Consciousness rehab program at Hartwyck at Oak Tree

Sub-Acute rehabilitation services are provided 365 days a year, 24 hours a day by nursing staff and are supervised by a physician board-certified in Brain Injury Medicine and a Nurse Practitioner. There is also an internal medicine physician on staff. Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy are provided Monday - Friday from 7 am -4:00 pm. These services are provided 5 days per week based on individual patient needs. Recreation Therapy is available 7 days per week. Social work and Neuropsychology evaluation and treatment are provided 5 days per week during the hours of 8 am-4 pm. Neurologic music therapy is provided 3 days per week and integrative therapies such as Reiki, cranial sacral therapy and Jin Shin Jyutsu are provided on a consultation basis. There is also a trained facility dog who works 5 days per week. The program is located at Hartwyck at Oak Tree.

Other services available to all patients include the following: Medical Consultations, Diagnostic Radiology services, Laboratory Services and Pharmacy Services.

Patients in this program are referred from Acute rehabilitation hospitals throughout the following areas: HMH network; local, regional, statewide, national, and international facilities. Payers include both government sponsored (Medicare, Medicaid), as well as third party payers, including commercial insurances, workers’ compensation, motor vehicle insurance, and private/self pay. All insurances are verified for coverage prior to the initiation of services. Fees for services can be obtained through the admissions department.

All services are provided directly at Hartwyck at Oak Tree, which is the location for the HMH/JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute Extended Recovery Unit.