First in New Jersey

Brenda receives her national certification from Cathy Church, director of nursing services, and Chris King, vice president of operations.

Professionals who care for people with disabilities know it’s a demanding job, and the turnover rate can be high. For that reason, the New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities awarded a grant to the New Jersey Direct Support Professional Workforce Development Coalition to develop a program designed to reduce the turnovers through certification.

The pilot project involved staff members from nine agencies, and Matheny was one of those. Brenda Hoagland, a direct support trainer, agreed to be Matheny’s coordinator for this program. Through her leadership, Matheny has had more participants than any other agency in New Jersey, and Brenda has now become the first person in the state to receive national certification as a direct support professional. She is one of 20 such professionals in the entire country.

As proud as she is of her own accomplishments, Hoagland is delighted that other staff members have followed her lead. At a special gathering of Matheny employees to recognize her achievement, she presented Level 1 and Level II certifications to six Matheny staff members, who took online courses at the College of Direct Support, an internet-based college for direct support professionals.

From left, Brenda, Imelda Schroeder, a personal care assistant; Bernard Jaruga, a PCA; Frank Kitchen, a vehicle driver; Richard Cerreon, a PCA; and Steve Proctor, Matheny president. (Not pictured: certified staff members Liya Malatu, PCA, and Wondwassen Atnafu, driver.)

Matheny student Daeon Troutman enjoys the FHCDS climbing wall.

Matheny’s recent proposal for expansion and renovation, which did not receive approval by the Peapack-Gladstone Land Use Board, had included plans for a therapeutic gymnasium as well as an indoor therapeutic swimming pool. So, when the Far Hills Country Day School offered the use of its gymnasium for a group of Matheny students, it was welcomed enthusiastically.

Matheny students and staff members had previously visited FHCDS to demonstrate various adapted sports activities to a group of fourth graders, and FHCDS students regularly volunteer at Matheny. During the recent gym session, Matheny students were able to participate in sports activities difficult to experience in Matheny’s current recreation room.

"Answering Machine” by Faith Stolz.

More than 50 works of art created by 20 Arts Access artists will be on display from June 6 through the end of October at the Johnson & Johnson Information Technology Building at 1003 Route 202 North in Raritan, NJ. An invitation-only opening reception will be held from 2-3 p.m. on June 6.

Artwork will be shown on all four floors of the building and will include paintings, digital art and sculptures. Matheny’s Arts Access Program enables people with disabilities to create fine art, assisted by professional artist-facilitators. All proceeds from artwork sales are split 50/50 with half the funds going directly to the artist and other half going to Matheny to cover the cost of art materials, stretching and framing of the work.

Untitled by Kevin White.

Judy Hahn, RN, with adult medical day patient John Edwards.

In June 2005, Judy Hahn, RN, began work as a per diem nurse at Matheny after a hiatus of 12 years from nursing. At first, the Long Valley, NJ, resident admits that, “I didn’t know if I could do it.” Her previous nursing experience had been as a pediatric nurse in a Bridgewater, NJ, doctor’s office before she pursued careers as a personal trainer and partner in a New York City-based multimedia company.

But, about three weeks into the new job, she realized “how much this population has to offer. I came to feel a certain responsibility toward the students and patients.” As she became more comfortable at Matheny, “it ‘made my day’ to know that I could get through to them.”

Then, in April 2011, Matheny’s adult medical day nurse retired, and Hahn moved into that role. Plus, she recently agreed to be the alternate for Matheny’s transitional nurse, Jeanne Lavelle, RN, who accompanies Matheny patients when it is necessary to transport them to an acute care hospital.

The transitional nurse position, made possible by a $300,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation through its New Jersey Health Initiatives program, involves following patients throughout their hospitalization at acute care facilities to make discharge planning easier and to foster development of resources needed for appropriate inpatient care and effective post-hospital transition. Matheny’s partners in this project are Morristown Medical Center in Morristown and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick.

“While it’s always hard to get your points across in an emergency room setting,” Hahn says, “once a patient is admitted, the hospital staffs are very appreciative of our presence. They thank us over and over because they don’t know our population. We’re seeing more continuity of care.  It’s not just a current situation; it’s the patient’s whole history that has to be dealt with.”

Since joining the nursing staff at Matheny, Hahn has never looked back. “I’m constantly amazed at what we are able to do as a team here,” she says, “and all the love that is given to our patients. All the employees here pull together for each other.”

Matheny adult patient Camille Van Valen competing in one of the track events.

The Somerset County Special Olympics is a very special competition for Matheny students and adult patients. Family members and volunteers from the community gather at the Bridgewater-Raritan athletic field to cheer on the athletes in both track and field events.

The mission of the Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with disabilities. In addition to being a fun day for everyone, the activities help the Matheny recreation therapy program fulfill its mission, which is to improve the students’ and patients’ physical, emotional, cognitive and social well-being.

About 45 Matheny athletes competed in the Somerset County Special Olympics, and seven of them will move on to the state Special Olympics competition, being held in June at The College of New Jersey.

WAE Center facilitator Esther Tanahashi, left, and Amber Norris of Little Falls, NJ, admire “The Reflecting Pool” by Arts Access artist Cheryl Chapin.

The toughest part of facilitating, says Esther Tanahashi, is “learning how to communicate with the artist.” Tanahashi is a facilitator in the arts program at the Wellness, Art & Enrichment (WAE) Center of Jewish Services for the Developmentally Disabled of Metrowest in West Orange, NJ. She was trained by the staff at Matheny’s Arts Access Program, which enables people with disabilities to create fine art, assisted by professional artist-facilitators.

The WAE Center and Arts Access were part of the New Jersey Medical School – ARTS exhibit, which opened with a special reception on Sunday, May 20, in the Medical Science Building of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in Newark. In addition to works by artists from Arts Access and WAE, two other Arts Access satellite programs were represented — the Arc of Mercer County in Trenton; and Hattie Larlham Creative Arts in Twinsburg, Ohio.

Arts Access artist Shaleena Tomassini in front of her untitled painting. At left is her niece Neveaeh Washington; at right, her mother, Ivelisse Arce.

Matheny student Najee Rogers, right, with, from left, Matt Oliver of Peapack, NJ, and Adam Lewis and Nicole McCloskey of Bernardsville

“I just like to see them happy.” That’s how Adam Lewis of Bernardsville, NJ, described the experience of playing an adapted baseball game with students from Matheny.

Lewis is a member of the Somerset Hills Little League, which hosted Matheny students on May 11 at the Somerset Hills Kiwanis Field in Bernardsville. About a dozen 10- to 12-year-olds volunteered to participate in the game, and there were lots more students and families cheering on the sidelines.

Neil Klein of Gladstone, NJ, who organized the event, described the experience as “spirited, engaging, tender and heartwarming.”  The Somerset Hills players helped the Matheny students bat and field and pushed them along the baselines. It was a game that everybody won.

For the past several years, Kaleidoscope Hair & Body Artistry in Basking Ridge, NJ, has donated hair and beauty services to Matheny students and patients during the afternoon of the annual Matheny Prom. This year, Kaleidoscope brought something extra—a check for $361, raised during two small fundraisers held in connection with the salon’s recent expansion.

Steve Proctor, Matheny president, stepped into the midst of the beauty activity to accept the unexpected gift. With Proctor, from left, are Caitlin Miller, Maureen Treich, Kaleidoscope owner Deborah Link and Lindsey Petrone.

Goldman Sachs volunteers hard at work.

As part of the company’s Community Works Day program, a group of volunteers from Goldman Sachs recently spent a day at Matheny sprucing up the grounds—adding topsoil in the garden in front of the main building, planting shrubs, putting mulch in flowerbeds and shrub areas and pruning plants and shrubs. All supplies, including tools, bushes, mulch and topsoil, were made possible by a Goldman Sachs grant of $2,830 to The Friends of Matheny, Matheny’s auxiliary group.

The day was coordinated by Goldman Sachs executive John Cembrook, a resident of Bernardsville, NJ. In addition to their work, the GS volunteers also enjoyed a tour of Matheny.

Morris Hills student Jill Gonzalez and Matheny student Yasin Reddick. Gonzalez was one of many volunteers from the Trinity Lutheran Church Youth Group in Dover, NJ.

The theme of this year’s Matheny Prom was “Fire and Ice,” but the fire quickly melted the ice as students, adult patients, staff members, families and friends from the community took to the dance floor at The Skylands in Randolph, NJ.  Tim McLoone, leader of Holiday Express, the all-volunteer band that plays at the prom every year, invited three members of the Matheny Choir to join in the singing early on, and no one stopped dancing until it was time for dessert.

Student volunteers from the Junior Friends of Matheny (Bernards High in Bernardsville, NJ), Morris Hills High in Rockaway, NJ, and the Trinity United Church Youth Group in Dover, NJ, contributed to the spirit and enthusiasm of the evening, which included a special ice sculpture and the crowning of this year’s prom king and queen, Jamie Formisano and Dina Conturso.

Adult patient Taty Manousakis and recreation therapist Meghan Walsh.

The Matheny choirs in performance.

Medleys of songs from Lady Gaga and Adele, along with Alicia Keys’ “Empire State of Mind” were among the selections performed by the Matheny choirs at their spring concerts held May 9 and 10 in the Robert Schonhorn Arts Center. In addition, the audience was treated to a performance of the David Guetta/Usher hit, “Without You,” by the music therapy staff.

The music therapy program at Matheny provides musical experiences designed to promote participants’ growth in cognitive, behavioral, physical, emotional, creative, social and leisure skills.

Liz Geraghty and Bo.

Accepting the presidency of The Friends of Matheny is, to Liz Geraghty, a way of giving back to an organization that has provided her and her family security and peace of mind. Geraghty’s daughter Bozena was born with Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS), a genetic disorder that causes a range of physical, cognitive and medical challenges. Bo has been a residential student at Matheny since June 2009, and she has flourished.

When Bo was first admitted to Matheny, the Geraghtys weren’t sure how she would adapt. “We decided we would just follow her lead,” Geraghty recalls. “She was laughing, crying, being stubborn, giggling – all of her normal emotions. That, to us, meant she was relaxed. My biggest surprise,” she continues, “is how much the recreation therapy department looked at my daughter as a teenager, who just happened to have this syndrome. They said, ‘We want to take her camping – three days, two nights.’ I said, ‘You’re kidding!’”

After joining the board of The Friends, Matheny’s auxiliary group, Geraghty became familiar with its origins. “I learned that the group was started by a small group of women who had no family connection to Matheny. The time, effort and energy they spent totally impressed me.” As she prepares to take office, Geraghty is looking forward to recruiting new members to The Friends as well as working more closely with Matheny’s development department and its Board of Trustees.

She can do all of this because she no longer worries about her daughter. “My youngest child,” she says, “has left home, and her future is secure.”