Valley and Christian Health Establish Valeridge Center for Behavioral Health & Wellness

RIDGEWOOD & WYCKOFF, NJ – Two leaders in health care – Valley Health System and Christian Health – have partnered to launch Valeridge Center for Behavioral Health and Wellness, combining resources to address the growing demand for accessible mental health care in the northern New Jersey communities they serve.

To ease access to care, the new center is located on The Valley Hospital’s Ridgewood campus and staffed by Christian Health practitioners.

The new Valeridge Center offers rapid-access mental health services for individuals of all ages in the greater Bergen County community, with a special focus on maternal mental health and child and adolescent services. Key offerings include:

A focus on preventative medicine and wellness initiatives to give patients unique access to programs that combine holistic techniques with state-of the-art technology

A continuum of care for pregnant and postpartum women that begins during preparation for conception and continues through the pregnancy into the postpartum year

Counseling for pregnancy loss and bereavement

Streamlined access to Christian Health mental health services, including Ramapo Ridge Behavioral Health, an inpatient hospital; Gracepoint, a partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient care program; and LiveWell Counseling, an outpatient counseling center.

Coordinated transition from inpatient (The Valley Hospital) to outpatient (Valley Medical Group) to ensure continuity of care

Child and adolescent therapy and medication management, in collaboration with pediatricians

These specialized services are provided by a multidisciplinary team of experts, led by Dr. Daniel Finch, MD, PMH-C, Medical Director of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health for both Valley Health System and Christian Health. Board certified in adult psychiatry, Dr. Finch sees patients ages 12 and above. He specializes in perinatal psychiatry (pregnancy/postpartum) and emergency psychiatry, with sensitivity to those in the LGBTQIA+ community and individuals with a history of trauma.

Psychotherapy services are provided by Elizabeth Finke, LCSW, who has expertise in maternal mental health and trauma. Mental health was prioritized as the top concern in Bergen County’s most recent Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), published in December 2022, and this collaborative effort between the two neighboring health care institutions is a direct response to this need.

“We’ve assembled a terrific team of professionals who are committed to providing critical mental health services to our community and making a positive impact on the lives of those we are entrusted to serve,” said Dr. Finch.

For more information, please visit ValleyHealth.com/BehavioralHealth.