Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation received a $3 million gift from the H. Hovnanian Family Foundation to create the H. Hovnanian Family Foundation Endowed Chair in Behavioral Health at Hackensack Meridian Health.
Dr. Gary Small, chairman of Hackensack University Medical Center’s Department of Psychiatry and physician-in-chief for behavioral health, Hackensack Meridian, will be the first endowed chair holder.
“It is with great pleasure that my family and I make this generous gift to fund the H. Hovnanian Family Foundation Endowed Chair in Behavioral Health at Hackensack Meridian Health,” Edele Hovnanian said in a statement. “The continued need for compassionate and innovative behavioral health services in New Jersey is great, and it is our hope that this gift will ensure that Hackensack Meridian Health remains committed to advancing research and care services for patients and their loved ones for years to come.”
Small joined HMH in November 2020 and oversees all professional and administrative activities within the Behavioral Health Care Transformation Service. Additionally, Small oversees educational programs and training, is responsible for clinical operations of the department, develops and expands research and academic programs, and develops and maintains quality initiatives. He also leads Hackensack Meridian Health’s recruiting efforts for physicians within the behavioral health field. He is known nationally and internationally for his public work in promoting the practice of psychiatry and innovative research on brain health and aging.
“We are so heartwarmingly moved by the continued generosity of the H. Hovnanian Family Foundation,” said Joyce P. Hendricks, president and chief development officer, Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation. “This particular gift has the incredible power to make a lasting difference in the lives of behavioral health patients and their loved ones for years to come. We are truly grateful for this extraordinary gift.”
“I am honored to be the inaugural chair of the H. Hovnanian Family Foundation Endowed Chair in Behavioral Health at Hackensack Meridian Health, as funded by the generosity of the H. Hovnanian Family Foundation,” Small said. “I am grateful for this generous gift, which will allow Hackensack Meridian Health, and our behavioral health care teams throughout the network, to be a leading provider of psychiatric care services in New Jersey. We will be able to have a major impact during this challenging time for many of those in our community suffering from behavioral health issues.”
