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Description

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About Matheny
The Matheny Medical and Educational Center is a special hospital for children and adults with medically complex developmental disabilities a special education school providing academics combined with functional life skills for students ages 321 a comprehensive outpatient center meeting the health care needs of people with all types of disabilities in the community and a teaching hospital developing ways to train healthcare professionals therapists and educators in how to work with persons who have developmental disabilities

Mathenys main campus in Peapack NJ is home to 101 children and adults with developmental disabilities Its five group homes located in Somerset and Warren counties provide a residence in the community for an additional 30 adults Many of the children and adults currently at Matheny in addition to their primary diagnoses have a long list of associated clinical conditions such as vision and hearing deficits seizure disorders mental retardation and dysphagia with resulting aspiration problems

While the great majority of Matheny patients have cerebral palsy as their primary diagnoses Matheny also has patients with spina bifida LeschNyhan Disease LND and a wide range of uncommon conditions including Rett syndrome Angelman syndrome Cornelia De Lange syndrome WolfHirshorn syndrome and 4Q Deletion syndrome LeschNyhan Disease is a rare xlinked recessive disorder associated with cognitive impairment high levels of uric acid in the blood kidney involvement and the hallmark symptom severe and involuntary selfinjurious behaviors Matheny is recognized as the leading source of information on care issues regarding LND

The increased need for care of patients with these types of medically complex conditions has made it imperative that Matheny expand in order to reach out to families who have nowhere else to turn Among planned renovations at an expanded and modernized Matheny are a new pediatric wing increasing the capacity to 140 beds the conversion of threebedroom rooms to more homelike twobedded rooms and construction of a modern special education school containing spacious studentfriendly fully accessible classrooms

Matheny is also committed to spreading its expertise into the community For example

The Matheny Center of Medicine and Dentistry our outpatient clinic provides services to people with disabilities from 12 New Jersey counties
Mathenys therapists teachers social workers psychologists nutritionists and nurses participate in the Somerset Morris and Hunterdon County Special Child Health Services Early Intervention Programs

Matheny is now offering its skills and experience to public school districts on a consultative basis in order to help them better manage the challenges of educating special needs students

Mission Statement
The Mission of the Matheny Medical and Educational Center is to optimize the quality of life for individuals with developmental disabilities and significant functional impairments by

Providing comprehensive medical and educational services

Developing and maintaining programs that further integrate these individuals
into the community

Contributing to the field of habilitation through research technology
professionalmedical training and education

Supporting individual and family needs through public awareness and the
promotion of selfadvocacy

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History

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Some people dream of the future but are unable to shape reality A few like Walter and Marguerite Matheny actually turn their dream into a reality and leave a legacy that forever changes the landscape of life

The Mathenys idea and their tenacious spirit in making it a reality was born out of necessity Their son Chuck was born with cerebral palsy They saw a world that could not respond to children with special needs Their passion for their sons welfare and their concern for the many other children with cerebral palsy was the beginning of a wonderful story that started in 1946 Although there were only three students and an operating budget of 3000 obtained through a GI loan the Matheny School was the first step in a major commitment to provide assistance to young people with physical disabilities and their families

During those early years the programs focused on special physical education academics speech therapy and recreation As word spread enrollment increased along with the need for more staff and additional space It was time for a new building and on March 14 1954 there was a groundbreaking on the hillside in Peapack NJ where the Matheny Medical and Educational Center still stands today

The Mathenys continued their outstanding efforts in meeting the needs of these special children and as a result in the 1970s Matheny received approval as a special hospital from the New Jersey State Department of Health During the next decade the number of residential students nearly doubled and services were greatly expanded

The Matheny of today is a sophisticated medical and educational facility serving many infants children and adults with complex medical conditions and developmental disabilities from across New Jersey and the country It is a far cry from the original school It is not however far from the philosophy that Walter and Marguerite Matheny wove into the fabric of the organization The Mathenys gift was their compassion for people with special needs That compassion is still at the very heart and soul of how care is provided today Matheny has retained a warm and sensitive approach to the needs of the people it cares for Doctors nurses teachers therapists and all staff think of each child or adult as a person not as a patient They respect each persons dignity and work tirelessly to enable each to enjoy the highest quality of life