pictured; Gov Cuomo with Chris Legree (Brownsville District Leader Candidate)
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo was in Brownsville, Brooklyn today, as he announced that One Brooklyn Health, the new health system created as part of the Vital Brooklyn initiative, identified flagship ambulatory care sites and entered into partnerships with six Brooklyn-based federally qualified health centers to form the foundation of its $210 million, 32-site ambulatory care network. More than $140 million will be invested in these flagship projects, which will be expanding access to a full range of primary care and other health services in Central Brooklyn. More than $30 million will be invested in the six Brooklyn-based FQHCs to open or expand 11 community health centers, significantly expanding the capacity of these existing Brooklyn-based healthcare providers. An additional $40 million has been reserved for additional ambulatory care locations in central Brooklyn that have been identified as being particularly underserved.
“One of the top priorities of the Vital Brooklyn initiative has been to provide greater access to quality healthcare to residents, and with the creation of this ambulatory care network, we are making that a reality,” Governor Cuomo said. “As the federal government continues to attack our fundamental right to affordable healthcare, New York will fight to ensure that everyone, regardless of zip code, will receive the care and services they need to lead full, healthy lives.”
Gov Cuomo with community advocate Burchell Marcus
Compared to the rest of the state, Central Brooklyn lacks access to primary care doctors and other critical mental health services. Recent statistics show that there are only 55 primary care physicians per 100,000 people in Central Brooklyn, while the statewide average doubles that figure. Additionally, there are 497 Emergency Room visits in Central Brooklyn for every 1,000 people, which also eclipses the statewide average.
The $210 million ambulatory care network targets those chronic healthcare disparities as a cornerstone of the Governor’s Vital Brooklyn Initiative. This new ambulatory care network will support 742,000 new healthcare visits annually in Central Brooklyn, roughly doubling the number of ambulatory care visits now available through these providers. The partnerships with the Brooklyn-based FQHCs will greatly expand the capacity of these community health centers and build upon their local relationships and understanding of community needs. All of these partnerships are committed to the strategy of an integrated health care delivery model that focuses on the physical health, behavioral health, and the social determinants of health of residents of Central Brooklyn.
The Medical Village at Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center (KJMC): The Medical Village, located at the KJMC campus in Crown Heights, will be redeveloped into a comprehensive medical village offering a diverse portfolio of outpatient clinical and patient supportive services to meet a range of community needs. Several highly-specialized Ambulatory Centers of Excellence will be co-located on the Kingsbrook campus to achieve a truly integrated care – these new sites will include:
- An Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) with five operating suites equipped with the latest technology necessary to perform virtually all types of outpatient surgery including eye, upper extremity, knee, hip, ankle, and many cancer related cases including breast surgery.
- An Imaging Center with a comprehensive array of the latest digital diagnostic imaging, electronic picture archiving technologies and non-invasive interventional treatments. The imaging center will include state-of-the-art equipment such as, MRI, a CT Scanner capable of performing “functional” imaging known as Positron Emission Tomography (PET), diagnostic x-ray, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, 3-D mammography, bone densitometry, cardiac and peripheral vascular ultrasound.
- A Comprehensive Center that will provide a wide-range of infusion and imaging services, sub-specialty services, patient navigators and patient/family support groups, rehabilitation, palliative care, access to on site imaging and laboratory, all co-located to ensure a multi-disciplinary model of care
Bishop Walker Health Care Center in Prospect Heights will be completely renovated and reconfigured to expand its capacity and add exam rooms, with a particular focus on women’s and children’s health. As part of this project, there will investments in new equipment, including digital mammography equipment and replacement of two end-of-life x-ray suites. In addition, Bishop Walker will develop a Integrated Women’s and Teen Health Center that will provide comprehensive services, including Internal Medicine, Nutrition, Gynecology, Breast Care Center, Family Planning and Teen Pregnancy Prevention Services, Adolescent Medicine and Sexual and Reproductive Health, which will be co-located with new affordable housing being developed as part of the Vital Brooklyn Initiative.
The Medical Village at Brooklyn Developmental Center (BDC) in East New York will include a new, state of the art, comprehensive ambulatory surgery and imaging center that will be developed in conjunction with the new affordable housing that will be located at BDC. The preliminary design of this comprehensive center includes two operating rooms, two endoscopy suites, plus imaging capacity provided by a state-of-the-art MRI, CT scanner, as well as imaging capacity for routine needs, including two x-ray units, one ultrasound unit, one mammography system and bone density scanner.
Pierre Toussaint Health Center in Crown Heights will renovate 2,500 square feet of underutilized space to increase primary care capacity, improve patient flow and patient experience, and increase demand for OBHS’ full continuum of primary, specialty and inpatient care. This Center will help reduce unnecessary emergency department visits, improve convenient community access to needed services, and link people to the OBHS’ integrated system to improve their and the community’s health outcomes.
Old Bristol Women & Child Health in East New York will be fully renovated and reopened to provide a broad range of women’s and children’s health services, importantly including developmental pediatric services. Services will be relocated from the Brookdale hospital campus and expanded to provide a broad range of integrated services.
More than $30 Million Invested Through Partnerships with Six Brooklyn-Based Federal Quality Health Care Partners
More than $30 million of the $210 million awarded to One Brooklyn Health to establish a new ambulatory care network will be invested through six FQHC partnerships to enhance primary care with integrated outpatient services at 11 new or expanded community health center locations. These partners, and some of their most important locations, are as follows:
Brownsville Multi-Service Center
One Brooklyn Health will provide $10.3 million for Brownsville Multi-Service Center to create a new 50,000 square-foot state-of-the-art health clinic, which will replace its existing 27,000 square-foot location. The newly expanded center, located at 592 Rockaway Avenue, will include:
- 22 new exam rooms, bringing the total to 49 across the existing departments;
- Space for patient education, group visits, meetings with health providers, physical fitness, and to distribute free clothes and food;
- Rooms for on-site podiatry, pulmonology, nephrology, gastroenterology, and cardiology services;
- Expanded social and behavioral health services to provide support for mental health and substance abuse cases; and
- Increased parking available underground for staff and patients to more easily access the health care centers.
By improving the design and adding exam rooms, this community health hub will greatly expand the capacity of BMS to provide on-site comprehensive primary, preventive, supportive and enabling services. Once complete, the expanded location will create approximately 32 new clinical staff positions and 31 clinical and non-clinical support staff, not including construction jobs created throughout the expansion project.
Bed-Stuy Family Health Center
- The organization will open a new 5,000 square-foot Primary Care satellite site in a medically underserved Brooklyn neighborhood, and increase community access to family medicine, pediatrics, OB/GYN, chronic care management and rotating specialty care as needed. Approximately $2.25 million in grant funding from One Brooklyn Health will support the development and completion of this project.
- In addition, the organization will identify a second site that will provide Primary Care, Psychiatry, Podiatry, Surgical Consultation, Optometry/ Ophthalmology, Nutritional Counseling, allowing for additional expansion of primary care, care management, and other wraparound services.
Brightpoint Health
- The organization will transform at least 10,000 square-feet of its Alpha School Facility to better address chronic health conditions, and improve the patient experience including the addition of an elevator and an onsite pharmacy services. The expansion project will also add 10 new primary care rooms and 10 behavioral health rooms. A $4 million grant from One Brooklyn Health will support the construction of the integrated care center.
- An additional $1 million grant will support the renovation of 2,500 square-feet of underutilized space to create an urgent care center for the community.
ODA Crown Heights
The organization will establish a 15-20,000 square-foot primary and specialty care center in Crown Heights. With support from approximately $6 million in grant funding from One Brooklyn Health, the new facility will provide specialty services including podiatry, endocrinology, dermatology, cardiology, neurology, and OB/GYN. Behavioral health services such as depression care will also be available.
Community Health Network
CHN will identify a location to expand the organization’s primary care capacity to include integrated outpatient services addressing both the physical and behavioral health needs of patients in the neighborhood of Bushwick.
Brooklyn Plaza Medical Center
- Brooklyn Plaza Medical Center will receive funding to open two new ambulatory care sites in medically underserved Brooklyn neighborhoods. One site will create a new primary care site of a size to be determined, focusing on community access to pediatrics, teen health, adult and geriatric health.
- In addition, the organization will open another up to 12,000 square-foot primary care center site in East Flatbush to increase community access to women’s health services, adult and pediatric services, and other specialty services. Approximately $6 million in grant funding from One Brooklyn Health will support the development and completion of these two Brooklyn Plaza FQHC projects.
Up to $40 Million Reserved for Additional Locations in Underserved Areas
The Ambulatory Care Network will also include an additional nine sites in neighborhoods that have been identified throughout Central Brooklyn as being underserved and in particular need of primary and specialty care services. These sites will provide comprehensive services will include pediatrics, internal medicine and family medicine practices; podiatry, endocrinology, dermatology, cardiology, neurology, OB/GYN and co-located behavioral health services – including on-site depression care manager, cross-functional primary and behavioral health care teams.
Several of These Ambulatory Care Sites Will Be Integrated with Affordable Housing Being Developed as Part of Vital Brooklyn’s Commitment to Build 3,000 Affordable Housing Units Â
In April, the Governor announced five RFPs to construct more than 2,000 affordable homes on parcels of land controlled by the state or owned by Interfaith Medical Center, Brookdale University Hospital, and the state-owned Brooklyn Developmental Center. Proposals are due by July 13, 2018.
These solicitations will advance the Vital Brooklyn initiative’s $563 million commitment to build 3,000 units of affordable housing in Central Brooklyn. Additionally, the Governor announced a suite of awards and RFPs to improve access to open space, recreation, and healthy food; expand education and economic empowerment initiatives; improve community-based violence prevention; and enhance resiliency.
Congressman Hakeem Jeffries said, “Thanks to the ongoing efforts of Governor Cuomo, critically needed healthcare services will be more readily available to the people of Brooklyn. Now, members of our community who previously did not have access to high-quality healthcare will not only be able to receive it, but access it in their own backyard. With this expansion, we will continue to see important strides towards a stronger, healthier community.”
Senator Roxanne Persaud said, “The Vital Brooklyn initiative provides greater access to critical health care services that Brooklyn residents need to grow and thrive. Our communities in Brooklyn have faced health disparities for far too long, and these investments will make an immense difference in the lives of so many Brooklyn residents by providing vital services to improve their lives and wellness. I thank Governor Cuomo for his leadership in supporting health and wellness in Brooklyn.”
Assemblywoman Latrice Walker said, “This ambulatory care network will provide much-needed, vital healthcare services for the residents of Central Brooklyn who need it most. Governor Cuomo has proven his commitment to helping those living in our communities. We are grateful to the Governor and my partners in the legislature for taking steps to ensure everyone in New York has access to quality health care, regardless of income.”
