No more fear

From left, Mengchi Steven Yang, DDS; John DiNorcia and Alyne Heslin, certified dental assistant.

John DiNorcia was born with a genetic disability called G Syndrome, which left him with an intellectual disability. During his childhood, he attended the Midland School in North Branch, NJ, and currently goes to a Midland Adult Services day program.

When John was growing up, a visit to the dentist “made him squirm in fear,” says his mother Dorothy. About five years ago, she discovered the Matheny Center of Medicine and Dentistry, and John’s visits to the dentist have changed dramatically. “It’s very hard finding a dentist for a person with a disability,” Raritan, NJ, resident Dorothy DiNorcia says. “Most dentists wanted to put him out because they felt they could clean his teeth better that way. One dentist even told me to sit on him while he was being treated.” At Matheny, “he walks in all by himself. The staff talks to him in a very calm way.”

The Matheny Center of Medicine and Dentistry specializes in healthcare for people with mild to severe developmental and intellectual disabilities in an outpatient setting. Dental services and treatment include x-rays, cleanings, treatment of cavities, extractions, restorative dentistry, oral surgery, root canals, behavior management, cancer screening and biopsies. Services are provided in partnership with Rutgers School of Dental Medicine.

What differentiates Matheny’s dental clinic from most practices is that its dentist, Mengchi Steven Yang, DDS, is trained to provide care for patients who may make sudden, involuntary movements or who may need to be lifted from a wheelchair to the dentist’s chair. And the environment is friendly to patients with disabilities, who often feel out of place in an ordinary dentist’s office.

“It has to do with how they handle him,” adds Dorothy. “They talk to him. They show him everything.”

Insurance covers less than 50% of the cost of care in the Matheny Center of Medicine and Dentistry. Your contributions to the #GivingTuesday campaign will make certain that those with the greatest need continue to get the support and services they deserve.

Click here to DONATE NOW.

Ana Congo with, from left, her mother Nancy; home health aide Sonrisa Cortes and father Dale Congo.

Peapack, NJ is nearly 50 miles north of Red Bank, NJ, but Ana Congo, a 27-year-old with cerebral palsy and associated behavioral issues, makes that trip regularly to receive primary medical and women’s health care at the Matheny Center of Medicine and Dentistry.

“Ana has real anxiety about anybody medical,” explains her mother Nancy. “Matheny is very well equipped to handle all of that—not just the physical but the emotional. So, that makes the trip worth it right there.” The Congo family moved to Red Bank from the Boston area about 13 years ago and had trouble finding a medical facility nearby that could effectively treat Ana. “Most doctors don’t understand,” says Nancy, “but Matheny’s staff understands her unique needs. I’ve wasted a lot of time going to other hospitals.”

Most health providers have little experience caring for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities, who may have difficulties communicating “what hurts” without the help of an interpreter or assistive technology. At the Matheny Center of Medicine and Dentistry, the integrated team of specialists seamlessly connects with patients to address and calm their concerns.

As primary care physician Christine P. Mand, DO, explains, “There is a culture of disability here. Our patients receive the same care as at a regular medical center, but they feel comfortable when they’re here.” Nancy Congo agrees. “By the time Ana’s done, she’s throwing kisses.”

Insurance covers less than 50% of the cost of care in the Matheny Center of Medicine and Dentistry. Your contributions to the #GivingTuesday campaign will make certain that those with the greatest need continue to get the support and services they deserve.

Click here to DONATE NOW.

Matheny School teacher Peggy Zappulla holds the Middle States certification, while students and faculty members look on. Clockwise from lower left: student Deborah Eike, principal Sean Murphy, Zappulla, teacher Christina Carey and student Nicholas Barros.

The Matheny School has once again been recognized and accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools. The accreditation has been renewed for seven years—from December 1, 2013, to December 1, 2020.

The official approval means that Matheny has demonstrated that it is effectively advancing the quality of educational experiences it offers its students, meets its responsibilities to the public and the profession of education, and complies with standards for accreditation that are established by the Middles States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA).

The purpose of the MSA accreditation is “to forge a path to excellence to improve the educational opportunities for students worldwide.” The accreditation process “challenges schools and school systems to meet and exceed uniform world-class standards, while reflecting the distinctive cultures of their institutions and school communities.”

Sean Bielefeldt, Matheny director of recreation therapy, explains an adapted sports activity to a student visiting the Matheny School exhibit at the NJEA convention.

Visitors to the Matheny exhibit at the recent New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) convention in Atlantic City had an opportunity to experience first-hand what it’s like for children with disabilities to participate in a game or sport. Matheny staff members designed a beanbag toss and invited convention attendees to try it out while sitting in a wheelchair. In addition, the participants had to limit the mobility of their arms or eliminate use of their arms altogether. Or they had to cover one or both eyes.

“I think many people walked away with more appreciation for students with special needs,” said Cindy LaBar, Matheny’s director of physical therapy. “It also helped them to understand that our students and all people with physical disabilities are able to participate in activities just like they do, with some adaptations. We explained that our students can ride a bike, go for a walk and even throw a football. There seemed to be a great deal of interest among public school teachers and therapists about how we adapt physical activities.”

The NJEA convention attracts thousands of educators from throughout the state who are looking for high-quality professional development and the latest in educational technology.

Firefighter Thom Ross and teaching assistant Joanna Alfone help student Ryan O’Connor handle the fire hose.

“How long does it take to get into your gear?” “How long is the fire hose?” “Who gets to hold the hose?”

Those were just some of the questions posed by Matheny School students to volunteer firefighters during the students’ annual visit to the Peapack-Gladstone Fire Department. It was a fun afternoon, but it was also a learning experience as the students became more knowledgeable about all the equipment and the firefighters’ responsibilities.

The Fire Department visit is an example of how skills and behaviors learned in the classroom are practiced and used during interactive trips to various community resources. The Matheny School students and staff members were very appreciative that the P-G volunteer firefighters took time out from their normal schedules to spend some time with them.

Transition care nurse for medical trips Cathi Losavio, RN, left, and Jeanne Lavelle, RN, transition care nurse for hospitals.

In July 2011, Matheny received a $300,000 grant from the New Jersey Health Initiatives Program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to develop a model to improve transitions to and from acute care hospitals for adults with chronic neurologic disabling conditions. The grant period ended June 30, 2013, but, based on the program’s success, Matheny will continue to fund and expand it by creating a division within our nursing department, integrating our specialized resources to improve transitions during all healthcare encounters. And the program will be broadened to include children.

Here’s how the existing program works:

• A full-time transitional nurse accompanies patients to acute care hospitals, encouraging full use of information in the patient’s “mini-record”.

• The nurse follows patients throughout their hospitalization to facilitate discharge planning plus inpatient care and post-hospital transition.

The program is being continued beyond the grant period because we have strong evidence that our primary end goal —the reduction of re-hospitalizations within 30 days of discharge—was achieved.  In the 10 months preceding the implementation of our transition program, six of the 24 patients who were hospitalized were re-hospitalized within 30 days (25%). During the project period—September 2011 thru June 2013—four of the 65 patients who were hospitalized were re-hospitalized within 30 days (6.25%).

In addition, satisfaction data were gathered from Matheny patients, staff and families showing positive results overall. And smoothness of discharge plans being implemented from the acute care locations back to Matheny was greatly improved, based on patient outcomes.

Our partners in this project are Atlantic Health System’s Morristown Medical Center and Newton Medical Center, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and Somerset Medical Center.

Viva Brancifort of Chester, N.J., with her daughter Gabriella and Matheny School principal Sean Murphy.

Halloween is one of the most anticipated holidays at Matheny and presents an opportunity for families of our students and patients to participate in the festivities.

The day starts off with a haunted house, designed by our therapy and school staff members, and concludes with a Halloween parade and party with refreshments supplied by The Friends of Matheny.

The day’s activities are coordinated by Matheny’s recreation therapy department, which provides a variety of recreation opportunities and resources throughout the year to improve students’ and patients’ physical, emotional, cognitive and social well-being.

Jim and Ruby Yedloutschnig of Cedar Grove, N.J., with their daughter Alicia.

From left, Gary E. Eddey, MD, Matheny vice president and chief medical officer; Kimberly Elmore, Delta Dental community relations administrator; Carl Chaityn, DDS, Delta Dental Foundation board member; Dennis Wilson; Diane Belle, Delta Dental vice president of corporate communications; Gene Napoliello, DDS, Delta Dental Foundation president; and Steve Proctor, Matheny president.

The Delta Dental Foundation of New Jersey provided the initial funding to help Matheny build the dental clinic that is part of our Center of Medicine and Dentistry. And through the years, Delta has continued to provide substantial funding to support our mission of providing dental care to people with disabilities, both within our hospital and in the community.

In September, Dennis G. Wilson was named president of Delta Dental of New Jersey, succeeding Walter VanBrunt, who retired. On October 29, Wilson, accompanied by several other representatives from Delta Dental and its foundation, visited Matheny for the first time to see the dental clinic and learn about Matheny’s dental program. The group also visited the Robert Schonhorn Arts Center, home of Matheny’s Arts Access Program, which enables individuals with disabilities to fully express themselves in the creative arts.

Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation Inc. is Delta Dental’s philanthropic arm and provides financial support to various organizations throughout New Jersey and Connecticut to help them reach underserved populations. The financial support Matheny receives from Delta, according to Steve Proctor, Matheny’s president, “has been a key to the success of our dental clinic. Without that funding, we wouldn’t be able to continue to serve hundreds of individuals with developmental disabilities.”

Pingry student Maddie Shilts assists Matheny student Daeon Troutman during a Halloween craft activity.

The Pingry School considers its community service program an expression of its educational philosophy and an integral part of its curriculum. The independent school encourages its students to share their time and resources with others. That’s exactly what transpired on Friday, October 24, as nine students from the Pingry Upper School in Basking Ridge, NJ, participated in classroom activities in The Matheny School.

In addition to classroom visits, volunteers are welcomed at Matheny during evenings and weekends. Individuals can serve as recreation assistants or just friendly visitors. Matheny is extremely grateful to those from the community who donate their time. And volunteers often tell us how rewarding the experience is. For more information about how to volunteer, call (908) 234-0011, ext. 282.

Pingry student James Parker watches as teaching assistant Mulu Yihune helps Matheny student Richard Kozlik select a decorative item for a paper pumpkin.

From left, Linda Moore, executive director of the Morris Museum; Congressman Leonard Lance; and Morris Museum trustee Gerri Horn.

“This was really awesome!” That comment by Heather Kosinski, a young woman from Kenilworth, NJ, was typical of the reaction to Full Circle 2013: Reflections, the 20th anniversary celebration of Matheny’s Arts Access Program. U.S. Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ 07), honorary chair of the event, described the artwork on display as “truly magnificent,” adding his “congratulations to all of the artists and all of those who made this event possible.”

“We provide the creative freedom for the artists to express themselves,” explained Eileen Murray, director of the Arts Access Program, “but it is the artists who bring this work to life. The art you see today is a true reflection of 20 years of hundreds of individuals who have created thousands of personal reflections.”

The true stars of the afternoon were the artists and their art, of course, whether it was visual art such as “Flower Power,” an acrylic on canvas by Jess Evans, or Rasheedah Mahali’s moving tribute to the late artist Jason Christie or “Alone,” a dance piece choreographed and performed by Natalia Manning. More than 70 pieces of visual art, curated by former Arts Access facilitator Scott Beil, were on display in the gallery, and 14 performances of dance, drama, prose and poetry were presented in a multi-media stage presentation, which also visually traced the development of Arts Access from its beginnings in 1993 to today. Steve Proctor, Matheny president, paid tribute to former medical director Dr. Gabor Barabas and former president Robert Schonhorn, who founded the program after asking the question: “Can people with disabilities create fine art?”

Arts Access received a $10,000 Challenge America Fast-Track grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to support the Full Circle celebration, and the program also recently received an Excellence in the Arts award from the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission and the Friends of Somerset County Culture & Heritage, Inc. Major sponsors of Full Circle were: Gold, Day Pitney LLP and The Providence Bank Foundation; Silver, The Hartford; and Bronze, Affinity Federal Credit Union, The Angeletti Group, Financial Resources Federal Credit Union and ShopRite of Hunterdon County. Food sponsors were: Café Azzurro and cocoLuxe fine pastries, Peapack; Gladstone Tavern, Gladstone; 3 West and Urban Table, Basking Ridge; and Village Office Supply, Somerset.

Visual art curator Scott Beil and his wife Erin in front of an untitled acrylic on canvas by Chris Butler.

Adult patients, from left, John Edwards, Rasheedah Mahali and Luis Rodriguez wait for the baby shower items to be picked up.

Adult patients at Matheny spearheaded a drive among Matheny employees to collect items for “virtual” baby showers for the wives of wounded warriors who are at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C. These expectant mothers most likely won’t be having traditional baby showers because they are away from family and friends while helping their husbands recover from their wounds.

Employees were asked to donate such items as clothing, diapers, pacifiers and disposable bottles. Then the items were transported from Matheny to Marine Sgt. Mario “Gunny” Monaco in Passaic, N.J., who made sure they got to Walter Reed. The project was done in collaboration with Marines Care, Volunteer Management Centers, Inc. and Operation Homefront.