NYC Health + Hospitals Marks the Reopening of Revitalized Health Center on the Lower East Side
Expanding Access to Community-Based Care Is a Top Priority for the Nation's Largest Public Health System
Jul 16, 2018
NYC Health + Hospitals President and CEO Dr. Mitchell Katz today joined patients, staff, and local elected officials at a community celebration to mark the reopening of the newly renovated NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Roberto Clemente Center, on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. The $1 million renovation, funded by the Manhattan Borough President and the NYC Council, reflects NYC Health + Hospitals’ commitment to community-based ambulatory care, one of the chief strategies of the health system’s transformation agenda as outlined in the Mayor’s One New York report.
“We are pleased to continue expanding access to essential primary care and behavioral health services in New York City’s underserved neighborhoods,” said Dr. Katz. “For more than three decades, this community health center has provided care to the Lower East Side community. This renovated facility provides a strong foundation to continue that mission for generations to come.”
Named after the famed baseball icon, the health center has been serving the community since 1982 and is beloved for its dedicated health care staff, as well as its vibrant murals depicting Puerto Rican history and culture. The $1 million renovation includes a new glass storefront entrance and upgraded, accessible bathrooms, new furniture, a new Community Day Treatment room and kitchenette, and new floors, wall finishes, and light fixtures. The focal point of the interior renovation is a new skylight, pouring natural sunlight into the welcoming health center. The funding included $350,000 from Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and $650,000 from the New York City Council.
NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Roberto Clemente Center, which serves 800 patients annually, provides a range of primary care, behavioral health and family practice services, including psychiatry; psychology; individual, marriage, and family therapy; immunizations; HIV testing; and prescriptions of buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid addiction. Located at 540 East 13th Street on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, the health center is open Monday to Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Fridays, 8:30-3:00 p.m.
“This renovated health center renews our commitment to providing quality health care to the Lower East Side community,” said Dr. Jaime Inclan, director of NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Roberto Clemente Center. “We are excited to share the new renovation with our current families and also welcome new patients seeking care.”
“All New Yorkers deserve access to quality health care,” said State Senator Brad Hoylman. “With the opening of the Roberto Clemente Center, residents of the Lower East Side will have access to the essential primary services they need. Thank you to Dr. Mitchell Katz and NYC Health + Hospitals for the work they have done to make our city’s health system more equitable.”
“We are privileged to have such a patient- and family-centered health care facility in our district,” said Assembly Member Harvey Epstein. “Their services are critical to the physical and mental health of the residents in my district and around the city. I applaud Heath + Hospital’s commitment to this center by ensuring resources were provided to rehabilitate the space, and I look forward to working with the staff and Heath + Hospital into the future so constituents can continue to receive high-quality health care in this state-of-the-art facility.”
“The Roberto Clemente Clinic is a crucial foundation for building a healthier Lower East Side, but it has gone without an update for twenty years,” said Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer. “I was pleased to allocate funding toward physical upgrades, new equipment, ADA-accessible entrances and bathrooms, furniture, and more. This vital community facility deserves investment, and making it more welcoming and accessible to all directly helps it achieve its mission.”
“The re-opening of the Roberto Clemente Center is an important step towards a healthier future for the Lower East Side. For many of my constituents, particularly the Latino community, the Roberto Clemente Center has been their direct line for primary care and mental health services for decades. This renovation will allow for new and returning patients to access a talented team of professionals for many, many years to come,” said New York City Councilwoman Carlina Rivera. “Even as health care options change throughout the neighborhood and the city, we will continue to invest in public health infrastructure so that all residents, regardless of their income, culture, or background, can live healthy lives in New York City.”
The renovation required a temporary relocation of services, with the program moving to NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Gouverneur in October 2016.