text is copied from Councilman Brad Lander’s newsletter…
As you’ve probably heard, last Friday the SUNY Board of Trustees voted to close Long Island College Hospital, a community health care institution that has served Brooklyn for more than 150 years. LICH was acquired by SUNY Downstate in 2011.
The SUNY Board of Trustees vote authorizes SUNY Downstate to present a plan for closing LICH to the New York State Department of Health, which will make the final decision. I strongly oppose the proposal to close LICH, as I stated a hearing of the SUNY Board of Trustees last Thursday. It is the wrong plan, and will do real harm to families and to our community. This long-term abandonment of essential health care infrastructure would be an irreplaceable loss for downtown and brownstone Brooklyn. It will take tough decisions and strong leadership for SUNY Downstate to become a financially solvent institution, but the complete closure of LICH is simply unacceptable.
The New York State Nurses Association and 1199SEIU, who represent LICH workers, along with the Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, and Boerum Hill Neighborhood Associations and the DUMBO Neighborhood Alliance, are holding a community forum about LICH this Thursday, February 14th, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Kane Street Synagogue. Please come to this important community meeting to learn more about how we can work together to save LICH.
Community Forum about LICH
Thursday, February 14, 6:00 – 8:00 PM
Kane Street Synagogue, 236 Kane Street (between Court and Clinton)
Thursday, February 14, 6:00 – 8:00 PM
Kane Street Synagogue, 236 Kane Street (between Court and Clinton)
For more information about the forum, contact Mickey Green from the New York State Nurses Association at 718-714-8863 or michelle.green@nysna.org.