6th Annual “Par-Tee on the Links”

Join us & support our amazing students!

September 28, 2021 at the Oak Hill Golf Club in Milford, NJ!

Come gather with the Matheny community to enjoy a day of sun and fun.

All proceeds will benefit the Matheny School, a special private school where children with complex developmental disabilities learn, make friends, find community, and thrive.

We work every day to make sure that each of our students can reach their highest academic, social, vocational, and personal potential.

Register today, and learn more about sponsorships here!

As Spring comes to an end, we had the chance to celebrate with a Spring Formal here at Matheny! Although we missed our regular prom celebrations, we were so happy to commemorate this special time and make some incredible memories! It was an enchanting afternoon filled with singing along, sunshine, and smiles.

We want to give a huge thanks to all of the staff, volunteers, donors, and anyone else who made Miles for Matheny possible! It was incredibly fun to gather with our community and celebrate!

We strive to create these memorable events with the spectacular individuals in the Matheny family, and we’re eager to create even more.

We’re looking forward to next year – Miles for Matheny 2022 will be bigger and better!

We’re proud to have so many remarkable, hard-working, and accomplished people on our Matheny staff. Today, we’re thrilled to share that Matheny’s Chief Financial Officer Kathleen Powers was included on NJBIZ’s “Accounting Power 50” List! As NJBIZ puts it:

“Business owners and executives fortunate enough – and smart enough – to work with the CPAs recognized here are getting top-flight advice and service.”

Matheny has certainly benefited from Kathy’s skills, experience, and dedication. We couldn’t be more grateful to have her on our team. Please join us in congratulating Kathy and the rest of the great professionals on this list!

March 30, 2021, Peapack, NJ —William (Bill) M. Kent, MHA, officially began working as President and CEO of Matheny School and Hospital on March 29, 2021.

Board President, William A. Krais, Esq., said, “The Board of Trustees conducted a national search for a candidate to replace our esteemed former president, Dr. Kendell Sprott.”  He added, “We are delighted to welcome Bill Kent to the Matheny family.  Bill is an accomplished leader whose depth and breadth of experience will serve the Matheny community well, and create an environment in which those we serve will thrive.”

Prior to joining Matheny, Bill Kent was President of the Lehigh Valley Hospital where, among many other responsibilities, he successfully led hospital management and operations for more than five years. His prestigious career experience includes more than 14 years as Senior Vice President at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and 13 years at the Johns Hopkins Health System.

He discussed his special connection to Matheny as a proud dad of two children – a daughter and his son, who has special needs.  When asked why he decided to apply for the position, Mr. Kent said, “Matheny was a personal calling for me given we are parents of a special needs son.  My wife and I have personally experienced the challenges of navigating and advocating for his needs throughout his life so he can achieve his full potential.  The mission of Matheny to support families with children and adults that have these unique challenges in their lives completely resonates with us.” Kent added, “The opportunity to join an organization that is uniquely providing excellent care to these wonderful people in need is something really compelling and exciting, especially at this point in my career.  To be able to make a difference in this community will be a wonderful capstone to my career. My colleagues at Matheny are uniquely special heroes – their commitment and their sense of passion to care for and support patients and families is extraordinary.”

Kent brings extensive strategic planning, operations, and facilities management experience to his new position. “Matheny is a very special place and a hidden gem.  My vision is to enable Matheny to become more widely known to this region and even throughout the country for the exceptional quality of its care and comprehensiveness of its services and programs. Part of what I will be working on is to develop a strategic plan that will help Matheny grow and reach its fullest potential as a leader in this part of the healthcare industry.”

At the start of his career, Kent says he served on the frontline in healthcare which shaped his philosophy of leadership. “I exist to serve the frontline. As President I want to make sure that my colleagues have what they need to provide the utmost high quality, safe, and compassionate care. It touches my heart to think about what my Matheny colleagues have accomplished throughout the years, but especially over this past year during the pandemic.”

Kent has published and presented on more than 35 topics ranging from patient satisfaction and quality improvement to organizational transformation and diversity. He has also served on numerous volunteer community boards including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lehigh Valley, the Greater Cincinnati Health Council, the Life Center Organ Donation Network and the March of Dimes.  As an Eagle Scout, he also served as district chairman for the Boy Scouts in Baltimore.

Please join us in welcoming William M. (Bill) Kent, Matheny’s new President & CEO! We are so excited to have him join us!

Before joining Matheny, Bill Kent was the President of the Lehigh Valley Hospital, based in Allentown, PA. Mr. Kent joined Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) in December 2015. In his role as President, he was responsible for overall hospital management and operations for LVHN’s Lehigh Valley-Cedar Crest Hospital, 17th Street Hospital, and Tilghman Orthopedics Hospital. His responsibilities also included oversight of the Lehigh Valley Children’s Hospital, service lines including burn, neurosciences, orthopedics, trauma and perioperative services, support services and supply chain management.

Prior to joining LVHN, Mr. Kent served as Senior Vice President for Infrastructure and Operations over 14 years at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Additionally, Mr. Kent was employed for 13 years with the Johns Hopkins Health System. While at Johns Hopkins, he held several senior leadership positions including President of Johns Hopkins Community Physicians, a subsidiary operating primary care practices throughout Maryland.

Mr. Kent graduated from Wittenberg University with a biology major and earned a master’s degree in health administration from the Washington University School of Medicine. Upon earning his master’s degree, Mr. Kent completed a two-year administrative fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

Mr. Kent has served on numerous community boards including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lehigh Valley, the Greater Cincinnati Health Council, the Life Center Organ Donation Network and the March of Dimes. Mr. Kent is an Eagle Scout and served as district chairman for the Boy Scouts in Baltimore. While at Cincinnati Children’s, he developed a health careers exploring program for high school students. Additionally, he participated on the Cincinnati Mayor’s task force (including the United Way) to develop a plan for increasing economic inclusion and supplier diversity in the greater Cincinnati region. Mr. Kent is married and has two children.

Over the last several months, we have all been challenged to come up with ways to keep ourselves and our families engaged at home.

Virtual tours and field trips can be great tools for online learning and exploration. Many incredible institutions – museums, planetariums, zoos, and more – are offering exciting online resources! Check out some below. Do you have any other favorites to recommend?

We got many of these suggestions from ASAH, an association of private special education schools and agencies in New Jersey. We’re so grateful for their support and resources.

Virtual Planetarium Sky Tour – All About the Orion Constellation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbIGZ0cgmHE

When we wrote our “Best of 2019” post around this time last year, we had no idea what we were in for in the coming months. Needless to say, this year at Matheny has been very different from years past – plans changed, events were adapted or cancelled, social distancing and other safety precautions became our new normal.

However, thanks to our stellar community of patients, residents, staff, families, and supporters, Matheny still accomplished a lot in 2020. Some of the highlights are below.

Thank you for facing this unusual year with us. If we can achieve so much under these unique circumstances, we cannot wait to see what awaits us in 2021! The challenges of the pandemic may continue for some time, but we are prepared. No matter what happens, the safety, care, and happiness of our patients and residents will always come first.

All of us at Matheny wish you and your loved ones a new year filled with good health, peace and joy.

1. The year started off strong with our receipt of the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval^®for Hospital Accreditation in January. Matheny is proud of our focus on patient safety and careful compliance with performance standards.
2. In February, we were thrilled to receive a generous grant from the Delta Dental Foundation, which will help ensure that our Dental Clinic continues to have the equipment, resources, and expertise to provide comprehensive, high-quality dental care to individuals with complex developmental disabilities. We are committed to providing each patient with a comfortable and enjoyable experience!
3. Later in February, before the COVID-19 restrictions began, our Arts Access program was proud to participate in the Access-ABILITY Exhibit at Morris Museum for the third time. Work from 15 talented Matheny artists was shown alongside work from Center for Enhancing Abilities in a pop-up exhibit at the museum. This ended up being the only in-person event for the Arts Access program in 2020, making it all the more meaningful.
4. At the beginning of March, our Adults Services program got a visit from the NJ Division of Developmental Disabilities. We were honored to receive a proclamation from the Governor in honor of Developmental Disabilities Awareness month!
5. Throughout the most difficult months of spring and summer, we learned just how supportive and enthusiastic our community members can be. Led by the Friends of Matheny, our local community (including neighborhood police and firefighters) organized multiple “hero salutes” where they would circle Matheny’s driveway in their cars, honking horns and waving homemade signs with encouraging and uplifting messages. These were true moments of unity and happiness during a difficult time for our staff.
6. When we needed them most, our community of supporters was there for us! We were gifted numerous donations of food and personal protective equipment (PPE) from individuals, families, and business in the wider community. We can’t thank them enough!
7. We are always blown away by the talent of our Arts Access artists, and they didn’t let quarantine or social distancing disrupt their creativity! During late spring, Arts Access was able to adapt the facilitation process in order to continue serving artists from the comfort and safety of their own homes.
8. We successfully launched a Virtual Miles for Matheny! While staff and participants did a Wheelchair Walk and posed for photos on the Peapack campus, supporters participated and raised money from a distance, riding their bikes or running near their homes and at their own convenience. While we missed seeing one another in person, we proved that nothing can stop us from celebrating the abilities of Matheny’s students and residents!
9. Arts Access participated in the highly-anticipated Annual NJMS Collaborative ARTS Exhibit – the 10^th anniversary of this special collaboration. With hard work, imagination, and flexibility, the Arts Access program found ways to adapt the exhibition for a virtual space. Over the summer, they showcased the redesigned virtual exhibit and held a virtual artists reception over Zoom. Our talented artists were thrilled to show off their creativity!
10. August 2020 marked the start of an exciting new collaboration between Matheny and Children’s Specialized Hospital! This strategic partnership will allow two organizations with shared missions and values to expand their expertise, experience, and resources in order to provide the highest possible quality clinical care and education for individuals with disabilities throughout the state.
11. On Tuesday, August 11^th, Matheny was visited by the wonderful folks at Cut Red Tape 4 Heroes, who distributed 6,500 pieces of free personal protective equipment to Matheny’s hardworking employees. CRT4H distributes essential equipment directly to NYC organizations, communities, and individuals most in need – hospital, homeless shelter and nursing home workers, veterans, and public housing residents. At that point, Matheny was the second hospital in NJ to benefit from their generosity.
12. In early October, we were able to host our annual Golf Outing for the Matheny School! Our golfers adapted to additional safety measures, including masks and distancing, and generously contributed over $25,000 to benefit our wonderful students!
13. After several months of closure, our Adult Day Program in Hillsborough reopened in October – and the event was made all the better by a visit from John Elliot of CBS 2 NY! John interviewed several Matheny patients and staff, all of whom were thrilled to be back. What a great way to return!
14. We have spent the last several months in awe of the compassion, determination of professionalism of our frontline healthcare heroes. Matheny’s doctors, nurses, therapists, personal care and community resident assistants, and all other clinical staff are simply the best. We’re so lucky to have them on our team and cannot thank them enough.

And finally, we ask everyone to take a moment to remember the precious lives we lost this year.  Matheny’s residents, students, and employees who are now resting in peace – their memories will remain alive in our hearts and minds forever.

In the end, we learned to cherish and appreciate family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors more. We are grateful for the experiences had and the lessons learned. We look forward to a happier and healthier 2021.

Charles H. Matheny, age 76, died on December 14, 2017 – three years ago today. A native of Minnesota, he lived most of his life in his home on the campus of the Matheny Medical and Educational Center in Peapack, NJ.

“Chuck,” who was born in 1941 with cerebral palsy, became the inspiration and the motivating force behind the founding of the Matheny School in 1946, and its decades-long development into a highly sophisticated and renowned specialized school and hospital. The Center currently educates and provides a wide spectrum of services for children and adults with cerebral palsy and other medically complex developmental disabilities.

Chuck was the older child of Marguerite and Walter Matheny, educators who left their home in the Midwest when Chuck was very young.  They moved around the country due to Walter’s position as an Air Force Civilian Consultant and to search for the kind of therapeutic and educational programs that would support the development of their son. They settled in New Jersey when Walter became the manager of a newly established school in the state. Just a few months later, Walter left that job when he and Marguerite decided to establish their own school–for Chuck and for all children with cerebral palsy.

While the first years of the school were fraught with significant financial and operational challenges, the determination of Chuck’s parents drove them to fashion their vision into reality. From its start as the Burnt Mills School for Paralysis Correction with just three students and a $3,000 operating budget provided through a GI loan, the school took a major step forward when it moved in 1949 into larger quarters in Far Hills. The need for a school like this was huge, and students and families came from across the country and the world to access its services. In 1954, the school moved again, this time to its current location, where it has grown and flourished. The Center is currently comprised of a hospital; a school for students ages 3 to 21, providing academics as well as training in functional life skills; specialized outpatient clinics for individuals with all kinds of disabilities; a notable fine arts program; adult day services, and five adult group homes.

Chuck was a pivotal force in the development of the Center that bears the Matheny name. Not only was he well educated there, and supported to reach his full potential, but he helped to create the “personality” of this compassionate and cohesive community that has served so many so well.

Chuck grew up to be a warm, kind, positive person, a “storyteller,” a man with a wonderful sense of humor, someone who greatly valued friendship and whose friendship was greatly valued, a person who loved life and loved his particular life, according to those who knew him. He became “the face” of Matheny, but beyond that he became the model of possibility for all those growing up, or newly afflicted, with limitations. He graduated from high school, learned to drive, mowed the lawns of Matheny’s main campus, and actively participated in all of Matheny’s events and fundraisers.

Chuck Matheny is remembered as the catalyst for the founding of the Matheny Medical and Educational Center, and as a beacon of achievement and a caring friend to so many. His “story” and that of the Center that bears his name are positively and permanently entwined in New Jersey’s educational landscape and history.

About Matheny

Matheny’s mission is to provide exceptional care and an optimal quality of life for children and adults with special needs and medically complex developmental disabilities. Matheny is a 501c3 not-for-profit organization and is headquartered in Somerset County. It was founded in 1946 after Walter and Marguerite Matheny’s son, Chuck, was born with cerebral palsy (CP) into a world ill-equipped to care for children with special needs. Matheny patients have a diverse range of medical conditions such as Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, Lesch-Nyhan Disease (LND) and a wide range of rare diseases including Rett syndrome, Angelman syndrome, Cornelia De Lange syndrome, Wolf-Hirshorn syndrome and 4Q Deletion syndrome. To learn more about Matheny, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram: @mathenymedical.

Dear Matheny Community:

These troubling times have underscored the racial, economic, and health injustices that people of color face in the US and around the world.  We fully support the #BlackLivesMatter movement and condemn injustices and discrimination on the basis of color, sex, or ability.  We also stand with the peaceful protestors who are exercising their rights thanks to the freedoms we enjoy in this country.

Having lived through the civil rights movement and having served poor black families as a pediatrician, I am especially affected by current events. Systemic racism in healthcare exists and causes health disparities that are rampant in the black community.  Systemic racism also adversely affects black families when it comes to housing, food security and education.  Now is the time to stand up against all types of discrimination and try to lift each other up.

Over 74 years ago, Matheny was founded on the basis that there were very few educational opportunities for people with disabilities.  Today, Matheny is a comprehensive non-profit hospital and school where people of all races, economic status, and abilities are cared for with the love and respect they deserve.  We are proud of the diversity of our staff and we are committed to continue our efforts to combat racism on all levels. Matheny stands in solidarity with our black brothers and sisters and we are hopeful that this is the beginning of the end of systemic racism.

Kendell R. Sprott, MD, JD

President and CEO

Spring is a usually a busy and wonderful season at Matheny. The weather is warm and welcoming. Our campus is green and full of flowers. Fun activities take place outside.

We all know that this spring has been different – and difficult. Although we are confident that there will be light at the end of this tunnel, a great deal of work still needs to be done before that time, and the health and safety of our patients and staff remain our top priorities. With this in mind, we will not be holding an in-person gathering for Miles for Matheny 2020. We’re very disappointed – this annual gathering with families, friends, and neighbors is one of the highlights of our year. We will sorely miss seeing you in person, but hope you will join us for a  new and special Virtual Miles for Matheny 2020!

The fundamentals of the event have not changed. We will still come together as a community to celebrate the incredible work done at Matheny. You can still run or cycle (while social distancing!) for us, if you wish. And, as usual, every dollar raised will go directly to our programs and services – medical care, education, physical therapy, music therapy, adult day care, recreational therapy, fine arts, and much more. You can learn more at our Miles for Matheny website, and look out for further updates by email and social media!

Even in these past few challenging weeks, we have seen plenty of things that are worth celebrating. Each and every day, our frontline staff – our healthcare heroes – give us reason for immense hope and gratitude, even amid our fear and anxiety. Matheny would not be Matheny without them. And we hope you’ll join us in celebrating them, even if it has to be from afar.

      To our devoted frontline employees and precious patients we lost – this Miles is for you.