[[{“fid”:”492″,”view_mode”:”full”,”type”:”media”,”link_text”:null,”attributes”:{“height”:”2560″,”width”:”3420″,”style”:”width: 350px; float: left; height: 262px;”,”title”:”IMC – 8.21″,”class”:”media-element file-full”}}]]Brooklyn, NY – Today, Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (NY-8), Assemblymember Annette Robinson (AD-56) and other community leaders called on City, State, and Federal officials to keep Interfaith Medical Center (IMC) open.

Interfaith Medical Center serves the Bedford-Stuyvesant and Crown Heights communities in Central Brooklyn.  After years of financially struggling to maintain operational costs, Interfaith Medical Center declared bankruptcy in December 2012, which required the preparation of a closure plan.  This closure plans remains pending until August 26, where officials will meet for a bankruptcy hearing.

CONGRESSMAN HAKEEM JEFFRIES (NY-8): “Health care institutions throughout New York City are under intense assault, and Brooklyn has now become ground zero for the conflict.  The people of central Brooklyn suffer disproportionately higher rates of HIV infection, heart disease, diabetes, asthma, childhood obesity, and infant mortality.  Bedford Stuyvesant needs more medical care, not less, and we will not tolerate the closure of Interfaith Medical Center in our community.  Over the last several weeks, we have had several productive conversations with state administration officials and we look forward to meeting personally with Governor Andrew Cuomo in early September to discuss ways to keep our hospital open.”

STATE SENATOR VELMANETTE MONTGOMERY: “Brooklyn is in a deepening health care crisis.  Interfaith Medical Center has been a major provider of primary, emergency, and psychiatric care in Northern and Central Brooklyn for decades, and its closure would be an incredible and dangerous hardship.  We must do all we can for IMC.”

ASSEMBLYMEMBER ROBINSON (AD-56): “As a community, we continue to stand united in the face of adversity to do everything in our power to prevent the closing of Interfaith Medical Center – this vital and important community medical facility.  I know well what devastation will befall my community if this Hospital is forced to close its doors.  We gather again as elected officials, unions, hospital staff, and community leaders to send a loud and clear message to the Governor of this State – INTERFAITH MUST REMAIN OPEN!”

ASSEMBLYMEMBER WALTER MOSLEY (AD-57): “Interfaith Medical Center serves some of the most densely populated African American neighborhoods in the nation, and its closure would threaten the stability and livelihood of a community already struggling with the highest rates of chronic illness, poverty, and unemployment in the city.  I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in government, members of Interfaith advisory board, the Department of Health, and the Governor in our effort to preserve and improve health care in central Brooklyn.”

ASSEMBLYMEMBER KARIM CAMARA (AD-43): “Brooklyn communities cannot afford for another hospital to close its doors- period!  With its growing population and increasing health care needs the Borough should be looking to expand health care options for its residents instead of continuously allowing them to close in the wake of funding shortages.  I am proud to stand with my colleagues today from the Federal, State and City level to pledge concerted action to save our institutions.”

Among many other critical health care services, Interfaith Medical Center is the only hospital in Central Brooklyn that provides emergency services, pediatric and surgical care.  It is also the largest provider of psychiatric care in the borough.

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