January 29, 2025 — Over the past year, unions, community members and staff at SUNY Downstate have worked to deliver on a promise to keep Downstate open for the people of Brooklyn and New York. In January 2024, the SUNY Chancellor announced plans to “transform” the hospital by moving many of its services to Kings County hospital just across the street.
Thanks to the efforts of unions like PEF and UUP, as well as a strong showing from NYC-area clergy and the community, the state backed off that plan last year and the Governor established an advisory board to review findings and come up with a plan to imagine the future of Downstate.
The first public hearing was held on January 22, 2025, at the Brooklyn hospital. Hundreds of PEF and UUP members, along with members of the community, doctors and patients attended the hearing to deliver remarks and recommendations on how to keep the hospital from closure.
Before the hearing started, a video message from Governor Kathy Hochul welcomed the newly formed advisory board.
“After decades of disinvestment, we’re finally moving toward building a modernized SUNY Downstate facility that will deliver high quality healthcare to the central Brooklyn community,” said Governor Hochul. “That is why today I am proud to announce that in my budget, we’re allocating an additional $450 million on top of the $300 million that was awarded last year.”
Debbie Louis is the Assistant Secretary for Downstate Intergovernmental Affairs. Louis said that this work is personal, as someone who wishes to see SUNY Downstate stay open and as someone who has been working with the advisory board since its members were chosen.
“Let me be clear,” said Louis. “We’re changing the narrative. This hospital is not closing down. We are reimagining this hospital. We are going to make sure we come together and come up with creative and innovative ways to utilize the dollars that our leaders in this great state have allocated to this hospital.”
Following that news, the community was invited to speak. Many expressed frustration with how the State acted last year, rushing out a plan to transfer services without seeking any community input. Others made the case that the hospital’s future should be determined by its history of quality care for underserved communities and the innovative research it has always conducted.
The main thing community members urged was a commitment to making sure that any funding, especially the promised $750 million, is accounted for and used where it is most needed.
Cynthia Walker, a registered nurse at Downstate for almost 20 years as well as the assistant council leader for PEF Division 198, told the advisory board that simple everyday things like showers are near impossible for patients as the water is constantly cold and the building is in dire need of renovations.
“There are things here that could be fixed, the building needs renovating,” said Walker. “The patient’s rooms and all this infrastructure here that has been neglected, it needs to stop.”
Walker also said there are not nearly enough nurses at SUNY Downstate, forcing the ones who do work there to work more than ever, leading to burnout.
“We are always above the staffing ratio,” said Walker. “We do not have enough staff on the units, people call out, and we should have back up for when people call out. When I do not have enough staff to do the work, the patients suffer.”
Don Morgenstern, a PEF Retiree and former researcher at SUNY Downstate, agreed with Walker.
“During my time, my job classification was research scientist. There were a hundred research scientists in that category here at Downstate,” said Morgenstern. “When I left, 10 years ago, there were six. The nurses here during my time totaled 550. Now, there are barely 400.”
Morgenstern argued that while the hundreds of millions of dollars now allocated to Downstate are welcome, it appears to be a small fix for a big issue.
“What this place needs, more than anything else, is for the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York to announce that they are sending out a $1 billion request for proposals to build up a brand-new hospital,” Morgenstern said. “When you get a modern hospital with modern facilities, that would be the end of any problems with Downstate.”
Bishop Orlando Findlayter, who serves as a pastor at New Hope Christian Fellowship in Brooklyn, told the advisory board that they have a responsibility not only to make sure that the report includes the voices of the community and staff, but also to demand more money.
“We thank the Governor for $750 million, but that is not enough,” said Bishop Findlayter. “The budget of the State of New York that the Governor just put out is $257 billion. You need to tell them that we need more money. And do not worry, because you will not be alone. We’re going to Albany on February 4, to fight for more money.”
Findlayter said that other hospitals, like SUNY Upstate, do not face the same critical neglect as SUNY Downstate, and that he and the community are tired of the fight—though they will press on.
“We will not allow the State of New York or SUNY or anyone else to continue to disrespect us and give us crumbs,” said Findlayter. “The Governor and the legislators need to go and find $1 billion to invest in Downstate.”
The Downstate Adisory Board has scheduled another hearing on Feb. 27, with exact location and time to be announced.
