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U.S. News & World Report Oct. 8 released its 18th look at the top pediatric care facilities across the country. New for the 2024-2025 Best Children’s Hospitals feature, the publication expanded its purview to 11 specialty categories.

This year, an added focus on behavioral health shines a light on New Jersey services, as well as the growing need for support. One provider from the Garden State ranked among the top 50 Best Hospitals for Pediatric & Adolescent Behavioral Health: Hackensack Meridian Health.

No New Jersey facility ranked in the top five for any specialties or regionally. Hackensack Meridian Health Joseph M. Sanzari and K. Hovnanian children’s hospitals, filed and listed jointly, also appeared as the No. 10 ranked facility in the Mid-Atlantic region. No. 14 in the area, the Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at RWJ University Hospital in New Brunswick was the only other New Jersey facility to appear on the 2024-2025 list.

Particularly coming out of the pandemic, behavioral health services have moved more into the mainstream as demand has increased.

According to New Jersey Hospital Association, both emergency department visits as well as inpatient hospitalizations for a diagnosis of anxiety increased among 12- to 17-year-olds from 2019 to 2021. Data from NJHA’s Center for Health Analytics, Research and Transformation puts the former uptick at about 36% and the latter at approximately 54%. For depression-related visits, ED trips were up about 38% and hospitalizations by 25%, according to CHART.

In New Jersey, local projects underscore efforts to serve that demand. Hackensack Meridian Health is expanding its Carrier Clinic brand and capacity in Perth Amboy and Belle Meade. Meanwhile, Bergen New Bridge Medical Center began a $10 million expansion project at its emergency department in May. The plan will create separate areas for acute-care patients and those seeking mental health services.

How they do it

Overall, the Best Children’s Hospitals rankings aim to assist parents, caregivers and physicians in making informed decisions for care. Together with North Carolina-based research and consulting firm RTI International, U.S. News collected and analyzed data from 108 children’s hospitals as well as surveyed thousands of pediatric specialists.

U.S. News & World Report‘s deep dive into pediatric specialties dates back to 2007. In addition to behavioral health, the rankings detail Pediatric:

• Cancer
• Cardiology & Heart Surgery
• Diabetes & Endocrinology
• Gastroenterology & GI Surgery
• Neonatology
• Nephrology
• Neurology & Neurosurgery
• Orthopedics
• Pulmonology & Lung Surgery
• Urology

“This year’s inclusion of behavioral health as a new specialty is significant, as 1-in-5 U.S. children has a mental, emotional, behavioral or developmental disorder, according to the Department of Health and Human Services,” commented Ben Harder, chief of health analysis and managing editor at U.S. News. “U.S. News is responding to the growing mental health crisis among America’s youth by giving families a valuable source of behavioral health data as part of our increasingly comprehensive view of pediatric care.”

For the inaugural year of the ranking, U.S. News made a special decision to rank the top 50 Best Hospitals. Children’s hospitals with a “Best” designation excelled at factors such as clinical outcomes, compliance with established best practices, and level and quality of hospital resources directly related to patient care, U.S. News said.

NJ’s ‘Best Children’s Hospitals’

No New Jersey hospital ranked in the top five across selected specialties, nor did any appear on the Honor Roll (facilities ranked No. 1 or tied for first place in their state and region). According to HMH, this is the fourth consecutive year it has placed first in New jersey.

Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital at Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center and K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospitals at Jersey Shore University Medical Center
No. 10, Mid-Atlantic

• Top 50: Pediatric & Adolescent Behavioral Health
• No. 45: Diabetes & Endocrinology
• No. 49: Urology

“While it’s never easy to have to bring your child to the hospital, we hope to be able to provide parents some comfort in knowing they have access to nationally recognized care at one of Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health hospitals,” commented Robert Garrett, CEO, Hackensack Meridian Health. “Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health strives to offer accessible, compassionate, and expert care in a comfortable environment to our youngest patients. This year’s top ranking from U.S. News and World Report underscores the exceptional care we have always provided and continue to provide, as well as the dedication of our world-class team members.”

Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at RWJ University Hospital
No. 14, Mid-Atlantic

• No. 47: Orthopedics
• No. 35: Urology

“This year’s ranking is a testament to the team’s expertise and patient-centric commitment to quality and safety, placing them among the nation’s best children’s hospitals,” commented Dr. Amy Murtha, dean of Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. “The medical school and hospital have long been partners in employing innovative technologies and techniques to benefit our patients. Congratulations to the medical teams in urology and orthopedics for earning such recognition.”

The full rankings for the 2024-2025 Best Children’s Hospitals Honor Roll, regional and specialty rankings can be found at USNews.com.

Editor’s note: This story was updated at 4:13 p.m. ET Oct. 8, 2024, to include comments from Dr. Amy Murtha.

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