MAYOR GIULIANI BREAKS GROUND FOR THE PARK RIDGE FAMILY HEALTH CARE CENTER IN BROOKLYN SUNSET PARK
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today joined groundbreaking ceremony for the Park Ridge Family Health Center, the newest addition to Lutheran Medical Center's network of primary care centers serving the residents of Sunset Park and Bay Ridge. The new 13,500 square-foot facility, located on Fourth Avenue at 64th Street in Sunset Park and funded through the Primary Care Development Corporation (PCDC) will provide comprehensive primary care services, including pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology and dental services.
"A healthy community starts with primary care," said Mayor Giuliani. "That's why I made it a priority in my administration to increase the Health and Hospitals Corporation's primary care visits by 300,00 annually. By providing access to routine medical care, preventive treatment, social services and health education, primary care also contributes to decrease emergency room visits, leaving those medical facilities available for true emergencies.
"I commend the Primary Care Development Corporation, and Lutheran Medical Center for working with New York City to keep expanding primary care services so those New Yorkers who need it the most," the Mayor concluded.
Also in attendance were Richard Cotton, Chairman of PCDC; Joseph Cemi, President and CEO of Lutheran Medical Center; Dr. Rosa Gil, Chairman of the Board, New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC); Jim Stiles, Executive Director of the Sunset Park Family Health Center Network of Lutheran Medical Center; and Dr. Marylin Gatson, Assistant Surgeon General, and Director of the Bureau of Primary Health Care, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
"The Park Ridge Family Health Center will stand as a shining example of the fulfillment of PCDC's mission to bring desperately needed quality primary care to the most medically underserved areas in the City," PCDC's Chairman Richard Cotton said. "With this first project opening in Brooklyn, PCDC demonstrates its commitment to community-based health services, which has the potential to help the City and State navigate the difficult road towards health care reform." He also noted that the new center will substantially reduce the number of emergency room visits for routine care while providing high-quality, culturally sensitive primary care and social services to families.
Dr. Gil said, "This primary care center underscores the important role public/private partnerships can play in bringing much needed primary health care services to medically underserved communities. We look forward to working together, bringing similar projects to other communities in need throughout New York City."
Responding to the ethnically diverse community it serves, the Park Ridge Family Health Center has recruited staff that can speak Arabic, Spanish, Chinese and Russian.
The $3 million Park Ridge Family Health Center was financed by a grant from PCDC, In addition, the center was launched under the auspices of the Small Project Loan Fund, by which PCDC uses State funds to leverage private financing. Development costs for the project were financed in part through the loan fund established by the City.
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