Brooklyn, NY – On May 19th at 11am, Community Healthcare Network (CHN), which operates 14 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) throughout New York City, will host a ribbon cutting to celebrate rebuilding its East New York Dr. Betty Shabazz Health Center. Since its opening in 1968, the Health Center has provided essential primary care to medically underserved residents in and around East New York. With the help of key financing partners, CHN celebrates a $10 million investment to rebuild this critical healthcare facility, doubling its size and capacity.
The rebuilt site adds eight exam rooms, now 14 exam rooms in total, including a dental suite, and a pharmacy. It will span 9,500 square feet and provide medical, behavioral, dental, and supportive services to over 10,000 patients annually.
The building was over a decade in the making, spearheaded by Councilmember Inez Barron and Assemblymember Charles Barron. Key partners that brought the project to fruition include Governor Andrew Cuomo, the New York State Department of Health, One Brooklyn Health System, the New York City Economic Development Corporation, Chase with a New Markets Tax Credit investment, and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams.
“We are fully committed to serve the East New York community for years to come with high quality, integrated health care and the supports needed to make health care succeed. We will do that with the vital partnership of allied groups, just as this redevelopment is built on collaboration of our public and private allies,” said Robert M. Hayes, President and CEO of CHN.
“New York City’s continuing recovery will be dependent on having access to quality healthcare,” said NYCEDC President and CEO Rachel Loeb. “We are proud to support the reopening of the Dr. Betty Shabazz Health Center with New Markets Tax Credit funding that will provide much-needed medical services to advance health equity for the East New York community.”
“One Brooklyn Health is extremely pleased to partner with CHN on the expansion of the Betty Shabazz Health Center,” said LaRay Brown, Chief Executive Officer of One Brooklyn Health System. “Working closely with federally-qualified community health centers is a linchpin of One Brooklyn Health’s commitment to increase access to health care services and to improve the health of Brooklyn residents. Capital funding for this project was made possible through the New York State Kings County Transformation Grant. One Brooklyn has committed more than $40 million of these grant funds to expand ambulatory care through partnering with several FQHCs. We are excited that one of the first centers to be expanded with this funding is one named after Betty Shabazz, a champion of social justice and civil rights.”
“We continue to be dedicated to investing in our local communities and are thrilled to support the Dr. Betty Shabazz Health Center with new market tax credits investment, which is serving underserved East New York residents and also creating local jobs,” said En Jung Kim, Executive Director, Community Development Banking, Chase.
About Community Healthcare Network
Community Healthcare Network, otherwise known as CHN, is a federally qualified health center (FQHC) that provides critical access to primary care, dental, nutrition, behavioral health, and social services for 80,000 individuals annually in New York City. Across its 14 health centers, CHN cares for individuals of all ages, regardless of ability to pay.
To learn more about CHN visit our website at www.chnnyc.org or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.
About One Brooklyn Health
One Brooklyn Health was established to preserve and enhance healthcare services in the communities of Central Brooklyn. The health care system includes Brookdale Hospital Medical Center, Interfaith Medical Center, Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, Rutland Nursing Home, Schulman & Schachne Institute for Nursing & Rehabilitation and several ambulatory care centers, including the Pierre Toussaint Family Health Center.