Gov. Hochul introduced a $140 million funding within the 160-year-old SBH Well being System on Jan. 30, 2025.
Photograph Emily Swanson
Join our Bronx Occasions electronic mail publication to get information, updates, and native insights delivered straight to your inbox!
On Thursday, Gov. Kathy Hochul introduced a “transformational” $140 million funding in SBH Well being System (previously known as St. Barnabas Hospital), which is able to enhance emergency division capability, improve tools and develop group well being partnerships on the 160-year-old establishment.
SBH, positioned at 4422 third Ave. within the Bronx, sees 75,000 to 80,000 emergency division visits per yr however was solely designed for about 55,000, mentioned Hochul.
Hochul mentioned the dedication and keenness of SBH workers is “contagious” regardless of difficult situations and praised CEO and President David Perlstein and native elected officers for repeatedly advocating for this sort of funding.
Hochul mentioned the funding will make much-needed enhancements, particularly for residents needing behavioral well being care. For the reason that pandemic, “There’s so much more need now,” she mentioned. “People are desperate.”
The temper among the many crowd of docs in white coats, elected officers and repair union members was celebratory. “We’ve been waiting for this day for a very long time,” Perlstein mentioned.
Medical doctors cheered and applauded the funding, which is able to develop psychological well being providers and improve its emergency division.Photograph Emily Swanson
He mentioned SBH has lengthy understood that its significance locally goes past simply medical care. “We have a bigger role to play than just putting Band-Aids on folks,” he mentioned. The grant will allow the hospital to proceed its work on the social determinants of well being — components akin to secure housing, vitamin and health that assist maintain folks out of the emergency room.
With the brand new funding, SBH will associate with Cityblock Well being, which calls itself “a healthcare provider that exists to fill gaps,” and Union Group Well being Heart, which affords walk-in clinics, pressing care and extra at a number of areas, to extend entry to behavioral well being providers and enhance total native well being outcomes.
State Sen. Luis Sepúlveda mentioned his dedication to SBH is private. His son had a critical medical downside a pair years in the past, and SBH saved his life, he mentioned.
“I got a little emotional” listening to in regards to the grant, mentioned Sepúlveda, who mentioned the funding — together with Hochul’s different Bronx investments, such because the 83-unit senior reasonably priced housing constructing now below building — will influence folks younger and previous alike all through the borough. “You’ve changed the lives of many generations,” he informed the governor.
Meeting Member George Alvarez mentioned he too needed to go to the SBH emergency division not way back and skilled “good service, great staff but horrible conditions.”
Demand far exceeds capability on the SBH emergency division, which is able to develop below the brand new grant.Photograph Emily Swanson
Since then, Alvarez mentioned he vowed to safe investments within the hospital, and now, “The long wait is over.”
The funding comes from Hochul’s Healthcare Security Web Transformation Program, established final yr for public hospitals serving low-income communities to associate with different organizations and leverage the strengths of each establishments. Below this system, the governor additionally just lately introduced a $180 million funding for Jamaica Hospital and Memorial Sloan Kettering to assemble a most cancers middle serving the borough of Queens.
As for SBH — and the Bronx as an entire — “I really cherish this place,” mentioned Hochul. “The people of the Bronx deserve nothing but the best.”
