Important Information About Visitation Guidelines
at Children's Specialized Hospital
Effective November 9, 2026
Visiting Patients
The safety and well-being of our patients, visitors and staff is our number one priority. Please be aware of the following guidelines before visiting one of our hospitals or health care facilities. Additionally, for the purposes of the below visitation policy, the concept of parenthood encompasses, without limitation, legal parents, foster parents, same sex parents, step parents, those serving in loco parentis and other persons operating in caregiver roles.
Please be aware of the following guidelines before visiting one of our hospitals or health care facilities — visitation exceptions may be made in certain circumstances:
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Pediatric Long-Term Care Units
Visitation may vary based on New Jersey Department of Health guidelines. Please contact the individual units for further information. - Inpatient Rehab Unit: Parents and guardians can visit 24/7 with sleeping accommodations for one at bedside. Grandparents and siblings can visit from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Non-family visitors can visit from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Four people may visit with a patient on the unit at a time. One parent/guardian may sleep at bedside overnight. Subject to change at any time at the hospital's discretion.
- Outpatient Sites: Two parents/guardians/caregivers and siblings will be permitted per patient. Patients with physical disabilities or where the disability may be due to altered mental status, intellectual or cognitive disability, communication barriers or behavioral concerns will also be permitted an additional support person.
We encourage family members and friends to use alternative ways to interact with their loved ones, including phone calls, Facetime, Skype and other means.
Safety Measures
In response to an early surge in flu and rising respiratory virus cases, RWJBarnabas Health has updated our visitation guidelines to protect our patients, staff and communities.
Please see the RWJBarnabas Health visitation page for the latest masking guidelines.
Please refrain from visiting if you are currently feeling ill or have a fever.
Inpatient Care Locations
- Physicians, providers and staff – Face masks must be worn when providing direct care to patients. All staff can also choose to wear a mask at any time.
- Patients – All inpatients who are able to will be required to wear a face mask when leaving their room and can also choose to wear a mask at any time.
- Visitors, volunteers and vendors – Face masks must be worn at all times in the presence of patients when at an RWJBarnabas Health facility.
- Every patient has the right to request physicians(s), provider(s) and/or staff wear a mask when treating them. If a request is made, physicians(s), provider(s) and/or staff are required to comply.
Outpatient and Medical Group Care Locations
- Masking will be required for all patients who present with respiratory symptoms, as well as all staff members and providers caring for them.
- Masking is strongly encouraged for all physicians, providers, staff, patients, visitors and vendors at all times when in the presence of patients.
- Outpatient and Medical Group sites can make the decision to require universal masking at their location if they determine this is in the best interest of the patient population they serve, such as a location primarily serving immunocompromised patients.
- Every patient has the right to request physicians(s), provider(s) and/or staff wear a mask when treating them. If a request is made, physicians(s), provider(s) and/or staff are required to comply.
We will remain vigilant in monitoring benchmarks and may adjust policies accordingly to ensure the safety of our workforce and communities.
As always, we encourage you and our communities to take steps to reduce the spread of contagious illnesses by remaining up-to-date with appropriate vaccinations and boosters; choosing to wear a mask if you aren’t feeling well and/or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, influenza and/or another contagious illness; and observing isolation guidelines when appropriate.
Thank you for your cooperation and your efforts to help keep our patients, staff and communities safe.
