MEDIA ADVISORY: Thursday, March 14, 2024

Contact:
April Ezzell, april.ezzell@1199.org, (716) 449-1620
Diana Moreno, diana.moreno@nysna.org, (917) 327-2302

VISUAL OPPORTUNITY Concerned citizens, Healthcare workers, hospital leaders, and elected officials attend community forum to discuss delays building the new modernized hospital.

New York State Department of Health delays funding for new modern hospital in Northern Chautauqua County for over 7 years while hospital staff continue delivering care at obsolete facility

Dunkirk, NY: Brooks Memorial Hospital workers, hospital leaders, elected officials gather to express their concern over the years-long delay to build the new modern Brooks Memorial Hospital.

WHO: Concerned citizens, Brooks Memorial Hospital workers represented by NYSNA and 1199SEIU along with hospital leaders, elected officials, and other labor organizations.

WHAT: 
Public Discussion on ongoing delays to construct a new updated hospital in North Chautauqua County

WHERE:
Northern Chautauqua Catholic School | 336 Washington Ave | Dunkirk, NY 14048

WHEN:
Tuesday, March 19, 2024 | 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM

WHY: Brooks Memorial Hospital is the only full-service healthcare facility available in Northern Chautauqua County.  The dedicated healthcare workers at Brooks continue to provide care in an aging and outdated^[1] facility in Dunkirk.  The community has been waiting for 7+ years for New York State Department of Health to release previously approved funds to construct a new modernized hospital.

The plans to build the new facility would cost approximately $71 million dollars.^[2] Brooks-TLC was awarded a $57 million grant from Essential Healthcare Provider Support Program (EHCPSP) to build a new modern hospital and to convert TLC Lakeshore to an Ambulatory Destination Center specializing in chemical dependency.^[3] In addition, the 2017 New York state budget also included a $17 million dollar Healthcare Facility Transformation grant^[4] to help build a modern hospital.  

While the proposal to build the new hospital remains stagnant since 2017, caregivers are urging state officials to release funding and break ground on the new modern facility in rural Northern Chautauqua county. Last October, hospital workers held a large community rally in front of the hospital to call on the NYS Department of Health to release funding. 

###
  
The New York State Nurses Association represents more than 42,000 members in New York State. We are New York’s largest union and professional association for registered nurses. NYSNA is an affiliate of National Nurses United, AFL-CIO, the country's largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses, with more than 225,000 members nationwide.
 www.nysna.org

1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in America. We represent over 450,000 nurses and caregivers throughout Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Florida. Our mission is to achieve quality care and good jobs for all.
www.1199seiu.org

____________________

^[1] Brooks-TLC in Dunkirk still pushing for new hospital in Fredonia: 'Our future is in a new building,' CEO says (buffalonews.com)

^[2] Brooks-TLC in Dunkirk still pushing for new hospital in Fredonia: 'Our future is in a new building,' CEO says (buffalonews.com)

^[3] New York State Electronic Certificate of Need (NYSE-CON), Project Number 172211

^[4] Brooks-TLC Is ‘Biggest Issue’ In County, Green Says | News, Sports, Jobs - Post Journal (post-journal.com)