Albany heard from East Harlem this week, as the East Harlem Council for Human Services led a delegation to the Capitol on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 3 to 6, urging state lawmakers to protect cash for the community health centers that together serve more than 2.5 million New Yorkers. CEO Dr. Adam Aponte warned legislators that cuts to Medicaid and shifts in federal policy could force clinics to scale back bilingual, school-based and primary-care services in neighborhoods like East Harlem, where residents lean heavily on these sites for day-to-day care.
The visit lined up with a broader, statewide advocacy push by community health centers. As outlined by CHCANYS, community health centers operate nearly 900 sites across New York and function as a primary-care safety net for low-income, immigrant and rural communities that often have few other options.
Why advocates say the shortfall matters
According to CHCANYS, “CHCs stand to lose $300 million annually,” a hit that would likely mean layoffs, shorter hours and cuts to mission-critical services. The report notes that the immediate fallout would land on school-based health centers, dental care and OB/GYN services in neighborhoods that rely heavily on clinic-based access.
What East Harlem leaders told lawmakers
The Council reminded legislators that its Boriken Neighborhood Health Center is one of the local clinics on the line, operating school-based programs at PS 7, PS 112 and PS 155. As reported by Weekly Voice, Boriken provides care to more than 12,000 patients a year, and Dr. Aponte told lawmakers, “Community health centers are essential to the health and stability of our neighborhoods.”
Governor's allocation falls short, advocates say
The governor's executive budget sets aside $60 million for community health centers, a number advocates say is nowhere near enough to plug the looming gap. As reported by Weekly Voice, local leaders argue the allocation “falls significantly short” of what CHCs say is required to prevent service cuts.
What's next
CHCANYS and East Harlem providers are urging lawmakers to bake a larger, sustained investment into the final state budget to stabilize operations and keep clinic doors open. The Council says it plans to keep pressing legislators through budget negotiations and committee hearings as Albany hammers out its final spending plan.
