Acting Attorney General Andrew J. Bruck and the Division of Consumer Affairs have announced that the State Board of Medical Examiners has suspended the license of a Monmouth County physician who admitted having engaged in inappropriate sexual contact with a female patient he was treating for substance abuse and who allegedly also engaged in questionable prescribing practices involving the same patient.
Francis Rienzo, 60, of Sea Girt, who maintains a private practice in Sea Girt and practices at treatment centers across New Jersey, entered into a Consent Order with the board that imposes a three-year suspension of his New Jersey medical credentials and a civil penalty and costs, totaling $85,856, to resolve the matter, according to a press release.
Currently, Rienzo is the medical director for several New Jersey treatment centers, including the Comprehensive Treatment Center in Cliffwood, and Advanced Health and Education Addiction Treatment Center and Clearwater Behavioral Health in Eatontown.
Rienzo is also a staff physician at Jersey Shore Addiction Services and Hackensack Meridian Health, both with offices in Neptune.
As of Dec. 17, Rienzo cannot have any contact with patients, practice as a physician, or issue any medical prescriptions. Rienzo is also precluded from entering the premises of his medical practice when patients may be present, and may not receive or share any fee for professional services rendered by others, according to the press release.
Patients who believe they have been treated in an inappropriate manner by a licensed healthcare professional can file a complaint with the relevant professional board online or by calling 1-800-242-5846 to receive a complaint form by mail.
The Brookdale Community College Board of Trustees welcomed Natalie S. Watson of Tinton Falls as its newest member during the October public meeting. Gov. Phil Murphy appointed Watson to serve as a Board of Trustees member through Oct. 31, 2024.
Watson is a litigator partner at McCarter & English. She has counseled larger institutions of higher education on compliance with state and federal laws and regulations governing anti-harassment, anti-bullying, anti-discrimination and LGBTQA-inclusion, according to a press release from Brookdale.
Watson is involved with professional, legal, charitable and educational communities and was appointed by the New Jersey Supreme Court to serve as its Secretary for the District VA Ethics Committee. She also serves on the statewide Diversity Committee of the President of the New Jersey Bar Association.
Congregation B’nai Israel, Rumson, will present a lecture, “The Jewish Artist in the Holocaust,” on Nov. 21 at 11:30 a.m.
The lecture will be presented by Sandy Gordon, previously the course coordinator for art history at Quest/City College of New York for 19 years, as well as a lecturer for Osher, New York University, Elderhostel, the Chautauqua Institution and more, according to a press release.
The lecture has as its focus the plight of those in art, the educators and artists, during the period of Hitler and the Nazis, as well as the time leading up to it; those who escaped and those who were enveloped in the Nazi genocide, according to the press release.
The lecture is being offered in person at the synagogue and on Zoom. To attend in person, proof of vaccination (for age 12 and older) and masks are required.
Registration is required to attend in person or to get the Zoom link. Find registration links at the event page at cbirumson.org or email Emilie Kovit-Meyer at [email protected]. The lecture is free to attend.