LICH/SUNY DOWNSTATE MERGER SECURE
Last evening in a meeting with Governor Cuomo's staff at his NYC offices, assurances were made that the HEAL grants central to the merger of Long Island College Hospital and SUNY Downstate Hospital will be granted and the merger will move forward!
This past week's alarming announcement that the merger was endangered resulted from a sweeping statement that all grants made by the previous administration were suspended until they could be reviewed. During the meeting last evening, all the local Brooklyn elected officials (NYS Senator Velmanette Montgomery, Congresswoman Nydia Velasquez, Assemblywoman Joan Millman, Brooklyn Boro President Markowitz, NYS Senator Daniel Squadron, NYC Councilman Brad Lander, and NYC Councilman Steve Levin) explained that a delay in the HEAL grants would have doomed the merger and very likely would have resulted in the closure of LICH. They explained the dangerous gaping hole in medical treatment this would have left in many communities, as well as the repercussions it would cause in other medical care dependent on the sponsorship of local me
dical facilities like LICH, such as school based health clinics.
The elected officials were assured failure of the merger was never the intended result of the review and that the HEAL grants would proceed in a timely fashion in order to facilitate this important merger.
Senator Montgomery reported to her constituents,
"It gives me great pleasure to announce that all the hard work that went into the merger was not in vain and that our communities can look forward to a renewed and revitalized LICH!"
Assemblywoman Millman Statement RegardingFuture of Long Island College HospitalThe news that Long Island College Hospital (LICH) might be forced to close its doors has caused an outpouring of support from across the borough. Currently all of the elected officialsare working together to convey to the state the importance of the HEAL grants for the future ofLICH and SUNY Downstate. I call upon the Governor to expedite the release of this money.I join all of my colleagues in government to ensure that LICH remains a vital part of ourcommunity.
Statement from State Senator Daniel Squadron on Long Island College Hospital:"The deal to save Long Island College Hospital was a huge win for our community, Brooklyn and the state. Simply put, it must move forward. LICH has helped keep Brooklyn healthy for more than 150 years, and it must not be forced to close its doors now. I will continue to work with the governor, my colleagues in government and the hospitals as the merger moves forward."
Statement on Cuomo Administration’s Jeopardizing of Long Island College HospitalI was very distressed to learn this morning that the Cuomo Administration has decided to delay grants to Long Island College Hospital/SUNY Downstate Medical Center, which may force the hospital into bankruptcy. I call on the governor to immediately restore these promised grants, in order to protect the health and safety of Brooklynites.Long Island College Hospital serves people from throughout Brooklyn, and is especially important to residents of Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, and Carroll Gardens, for whom it is the nearest medical facility. Long Island College Hospital operates 300 beds, and annually delivers over 2,500 babies and has over 55,000 emergency room visits. Long Island College Hospital also provides 2,500 people with good jobs.Last year -- in recognition of financial challenges facing LICH, and in dialogue with the community -- LICH began the process of merging with SUNY Downstate Medical Center. That deal will both preserve LICH as a great community hospital, and achieve efficiencies in the delivery of health care in Brooklyn. As part of the deal, LICH and SUNY Downstate were promised $62 million in state grants.By delaying these grants, and suggesting that they might be cancelled, the Cuomo Administration is placing the merger, the survival of LICH, and the health of our communities in jeopardy.I ask Governor Cuomo to respect the State's commitment to LICH/SUNY Downstate, to immediately restore these grants, and to help secure the future of LICH, SUNY Downstate, and the health of our communities.
Ladies, avoid being one of the 300,000 women who die each year from cardiovascular disease. When’s the best time to get checked and begin protecting yourself against the risk factors which lead to heart attack and disease? How about right now – and have some fun while you’re at it! Long Island College Hospital (LICH) is partnering with CityChemist to sponsor “The Way to a Woman’s Heart,” an event in honor of Women’s Heart Month, to be held on:Saturday, February 12, 2011,at CityChemist, 129 Montague St.,from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm* Nutritional consults * Make-overs * Massage * Cardiologist chat * Fitness info* Skin care * Health screenings * Your perfect red * much, much more!A $10 donation to benefit cardiology outreach programs at LICH will be collected. No advance registration is required.
For more information, call (718) 237-CITY
Eating For Your Best Health Ever!Diets don’t work. The key to effective weight management, increased energy and our best health is really very simple: Good nutrition. Join Long Island College Hospital this month to explore how food affects health in 3 fun, interactive sessions.WHEN: Tuesdays: January 11, 18 and 25, 2011TIME: 12:30 – 1:30 pmWHERE: Long Island College Hospital339 Hicks Street, Brooklyn, NYAvram Conference Center, Room CSession 1Tuesday, January 11Getting Started: The Basics of Good NutritionWhat to eat and whyHow to assess your own dietTips, meal plans, recipes and supportA healthy cooking demonstration.To register for this free event, please contact Joy Lindquist, MS, L.Ac., Wellness Coordinator at (718) 780-1481 or jlindquist@chpnet.org. Feel free to bring your lunch!
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