February 5, 2025 — A coalition of labor unions, Brooklyn clergy and community leaders spent the day in Albany on February 4, visiting with legislators and holding a press conference, calling on the SUNY Downstate Community Advisory Board (DCAB) to be more transparent about their plans for SUNY Downstate Hospital in Central Brooklyn. Among the demands from the coalition is an injection of $250 million into the only public hospital serving Central Brooklyn.
On January 22, members of the coalition and other members of the community attended the first of three scheduled public hearings held by DCAB. During the hearing, the community learned that Governor Kathy Hochul planned on adding $450 million to an already allocated $300 million for the hospital. However, after the hearing, the community felt that they were still being left in the dark and that more could be done.
Bishop Orlando Findlayter, a pastor at New Hope Christian Fellowship in Brooklyn, attended the hearing and helped lead the coalition through lobbying visits and a press conference in Albany on Feb. 4. He said that more needs to be done to make sure the community is being heard.
“Downstate is in crisis because the state of New York and SUNY neglected our hospital and has not invested in it,” Bishop Findlayter said. “Now, the Downstate Community Advisory Board, which is charged with recommending what our community hospital should look like in the future—and must base that decision on public input—is holding closed-door meetings and has scheduled just three public hearings before it makes its decision.”
During the coalition’s first meeting with State Senator Toby Stavisky, members of the coalition urged the senator to push for two major priorities when it comes to Downstate’s future. The first demand is extra time for DCAB to be able to review findings, meet with the community and deliver a report. Currently, that deadline is set for April 1.
Fred Kowal is the President of United University Professions (UUP) and represents organized labor on the DCAB. He said that an extension until at least June 1 would be helpful.
“The Governor is aware of this demand, we understand she is amenable to that push,” said President Kowal. “It would give us more time to have public input and to hear from stakeholders like Brooklyn For Downstate, which has drafted a plan filled with detailed recommendations from the community.”
Much of the community is concerned that plans to downsize the hospital will still go forward. While the coalition, and even some community members, do not completely disagree with closing some beds in the hospital, they do not think that inpatient services should be outsourced entirely.
There are also concerns about Downstate remaining a public teaching hospital. As one of the only public teaching hospitals in the area, Downstate treats patients regardless of insurance and almost 60% of students studying medical sciences at the university are people of color.
“For Downstate to operate as a teaching hospital, in order for the college and for the physicians to remain at Downstate, there has to be a minimum of 250 beds,” said Acting PEF Director of Downstate Field Services Debbie Egel. “Otherwise, they will not be able to certify.”
At the press conference, the coalition gathered with members of the legislature, including Assemblywoman Monique Chandler-Waterman and Assemblyman Brian Cunningham, and other union members and leadership, like NYSUT President Melinda Person.
They each called on the governor and fellow legislators to focus on the future of Downstate and to involve the community every step of the way, especially as more staff at the hospital worry about their careers at Downstate.
“We want to make sure there’s no confusion. Downstate is open,” said Assemblywoman Chandler-Waterman. “Downstate has to be invested in and we need to have that official announcement and make sure that the community is sure of what is happening.”
PEF President Wayne Spence was around the first time SUNY Downstate’s future was in jeopardy. He is grateful that the fight was won in 2011, but said now it’s about more than just keeping the hospital open. It’s time for Downstate to thrive.
“It should flourish, it should be invested in, it should be a place for excellence,” said President Spence. “The future of Downstate is just too important to rush. It is too important to the tens of thousands of New Yorkers who have received quality care there these last few years. I am asking the legislature to fund it properly.”
While Governor Hochul delivered operating and capital funds in last year’s budget and has pledged more in her current budget proposal for a combined total of $750 million, the coalition believes adding another $250 million in would help renovate the hospital to today’s standards after years of neglect and lack of investment.
“We came to Albany not to ask, we came to demand. We came to demand of the Governor. And while we say thank you, we say we need more,” said Bishop Findlayter. “To the legislature we are saying you should not vote on any budget that does not include $250 million more for SUNY Downstate.”
Members of the coalition are preparing to attend the second DCAB hearing on February 27 at CUNY Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn. Details will be announced on the Brooklyn For Downstate website.