Fed Floats Grant To Expand Services At L.I.C. Hospital

Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, City Council Member Eric Gioia, Floating Hospital President Sean Granahan and Dennis Gonzalez of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced a $1.3 million federal grant to help the hospital expand its services to Long Island City residents, particularly those who live in Queensbridge and Ravenswood Houses.

The grant to the Floating Hospital is one of six such grants in President Obama's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for hospitals in New York that serve low-income patients, regardless of their ability to pay. These six grants, totaling nearly $7.1 million, are anticipated to create 335 jobs and provide care to 45,230 residents of New York State.

While the Floating Hospital has traditionally provided treatment and diagnostic services to New York's homeless population, this federal grant will enable the hospital to begin outreach to and treatment services for a broader spectrum of Queens residents in need.

"The Floating Hospital has an incredible history of providing quality health care to those who need a helping hand," said Rep. Maloney. "I am delighted that this federal grant will help residents of Queensbridge and Ravenswood and other New Yorkers who may be going without health insurance during this economic downturn. The six grants in the stimulus bill for New York hospitals will create hundreds of jobs and are a first step toward the President's plan to provide all Americans with access to health care. I thank President Obama for his leadership in delivering this funding for New York, and I applaud the Floating Hospital for their dedication to the Long Island City community."

"I'd like to thank Rep. Maloney for helping to secure this important funding for the residents of Long Island City, including Queensbridge and Ravenswood," said Council Member Gioia. "We need to be expanding hospital services, not taking them away—and this funding will go a long way towards making sure people in our neighborhood live healthier, fuller lives."

Serving as "Family Doctor to NYC's Neediest Since 1866," over 5 million New Yorkers have relied on TFH to provide the healthy start they need to break the cycles of poverty and homelessness. Following the sale of its ship in 2004, TFH selected LIC as its new land-based main clinic and administrative headquarters with the specific intent to expand much needed primary medical, dental and mental health services to the residents of this medically underserved neighborhood. Recent support from the NYS Health Foundation for LIC community outreach and other startup staffing will help leverage this new federal funding and ensure a quick turnaround in implementing both hiring and expanding service delivery.

The funding was authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will support five other health centers in New York.

These health centers will help people in need—many with no health insurance—obtain access to comprehensive primary and preventive health care services and create 335 jobs in New York.

Nationwide, grants totaling $155 million will assist 126 health centers and help provide health care to an estimated 750,000 low-income people across the country. The grants, which are administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), are expected to create 5,500 jobs at the new health centers across the country.