Trinitas Regional Medical Center
When a loved one lives with both an intellectual or developmental disability and a co-occurring mental illness, families face extraordinary challenges. In moments of psychiatric crisis, appropriate inpatient care can be scarce, resulting in long waits, distant placements, or care settings unequipped to meet their complex needs.
Thanks to a transformational $1 million grant from HFNJ, Trinitas Regional Medical Center, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, constructed the HFNJ Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities to help meet this need. The Center is a specialized inpatient unit with staff trained to care for those with IDD in moments of crisis. Trinitas has long been the only hospital in New Jersey to offer this specialized care.
Traditional psychiatric units are often not equipped to manage the behavioral, cognitive, and medical complexities these patients present. As a result, individuals in crisis may experience prolonged emergency department stays—environments that often only add stresses to individuals with IDD.
The new Center provides a safe, purpose-built environment tailored to these patients’ needs. By expanding specialized bed capacity, Trinitas is elevating both the quality and timeliness of care, ensuring that individuals receive appropriate treatment during the most critical moments. For families, the Center represents something invaluable: stability, expertise, and hope close to home.
Structured as a challenge grant, the Foundation’s leadership inspired additional giving from corporations, foundations, government partners, individuals and employees at Trinitas. The challenge was officially met in June 2022, helping Trinitas surpass its original $3.12 million fundraising goal and raise more than $3.3 million for the project.
The Center was unveiled to the public and began accepting patients in 2023. Today, it stands as a lasting community resource. HFNJ’s funding helped Trinitas offer a solution to a critical public health challenge. In doing so, HFNJ has helped transform a dangerous shortage into a beacon of hope for families across New Jersey.