Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, part of RWJBarnabas Health, has been awarded a $578,100 grant from the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey (HFNJ) to enhance its stroke care services. The funding will support the project “Erasing Barriers to High Quality Comprehensive Stroke Care in Greater Newark,” which aims to expand the hospital’s capacity for treating complex stroke cases.
Currently recognized as a Joint Commission accredited Primary Stroke Center, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center provides initial treatment for ischemic stroke patients. In 2025, the hospital treated nearly 200 patients with a primary diagnosis of stroke. The new grant will allow for the creation of an Advanced Stroke Center team that includes specialized roles such as a Neuroscience Quality and Education Coordinator, Stroke Transitions of Care Registered Nurse, Stroke Advanced Practice Provider, and an Electromyography Trained Technician.
Darrell K. Terry, Sr., President and Chief Executive Officer of Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of New Jersey, said: “This grant will expand our ability to treat stroke with the highest levels of interventions, set a new standard for stroke care in the Greater Newark area, and ultimately save lives. We are incredibly grateful to the Healthcare Foundation of NJ for their generous support, and longstanding commitment to our patients and the communities we serve.”
Michael Schmidt, Executive Director and CEO of The Healthcare Foundation of NJ added: “The city of Newark is home to world-class hospitals, and we are proud to continue our history of providing crucial support to these institutions. Hospitals are anchor institutions for the delivery of healthcare in their neighborhoods, and by strengthening hospitals, we are ensuring the continued delivery of quality healthcare for all communities throughout Newark.”
Stroke remains a significant health concern in New Jersey; it is currently ranked as the fourth leading cause of death in the state and is also a major contributor to long-term disability.
RWJBarnabas Health operates what it describes as New Jersey’s largest comprehensive stroke network. This network includes ten Joint Commission accredited primary stroke centers along with two advanced comprehensive stroke centers that provide advanced therapies through multidisciplinary teams.
The HFNJ was established in 1996 after Newark Beth Israel Medical Center was sold to Saint Barnabas Corporation. Over its 25-year history, HFNJ has distributed more than $160 million in grants focused on improving healthcare access for vulnerable populations across greater Newark.
In addition to this recent grant initiative supporting advanced stroke care services at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, HFNJ has contributed significantly toward other projects at the hospital—including funding renovations such as the Healthcare Foundation of NJ Emergency Pavilion that opened in 2024 with expanded adult and pediatric emergency treatment areas.
Newark Beth Israel Medical Center serves as a regional teaching hospital with extensive programs including heart transplant services—having performed over 1,100 heart transplants—and houses both adult specialty programs like cardiac valve procedures and cancer treatment centers partnered with Rutgers Cancer Institute.
