Howard Brown Health (HBH) announced May 21 that two of its clinics will close later this year. That announcement comes just weeks after Howard Brown Health Workers United union non-nurse employees, represented by the Illinois Nurses Association (INA), and Howard Brown Health (HBH) management reached a first contract agreement.
The clinics slated for closure are 2800 N. Sheridan Rd. (Diversey) on Aug. 31 and 734 W. 47th St. (Thresholds South) on Sept. 30.
According to an HBH press release, the closures are due to financial shortfalls that resulted in a $6.6 million deficit, the departures of the sole providers at both clinics and the end of commercial lease agreements for those locations.
“These closures mark a business decision that will ensure our ability to serve patients with quality care for the next 50 years,” said HBH Interim President and CEO Robin Gay, DMD, in that same press release. “As we continue to work to achieve fiscal sustainability, we remain steadfast in our commitment to provide core health care services to all individuals in our community, regardless of their ability to pay.”
But union officials said HBH’s said the announcement took them by surprise, especially following the recent contract ratification.
INA Senior Lead Organizer Tristan Bock-Hughes said in a statement to Windy City Times, “This consolidation is both sudden and was made public only 30 minutes after notifying the union. We just ratified a contract that requires bargaining over the impacts of such a change, and are dismayed that Howard Brown’s communication did not mention their requirement or intention to negotiate.”
HBH’s press release said affected patients at both clinics would be redirected to other HBH clinics within 15 minutes of those locations. Additionally, most affected staff members would be reassigned to other HBH clinics when comparable positions become available, and management “does not anticipate a reduction in force as a result of these clinic closures.”
Bock-Hughes added that, “We are especially concerned because Howard Brown Health’s statement also made no guarantee that there would be no layoffs as a result of this consolidation. We have demanded to bargain, and we hope Howard Brown chooses to engage in the process we just mutually agreed to.”
Thresholds South Lead Medical Assistant Tiffany Foster-Mitchell said in a statement to Windy City Times that, “Back in January, executive leadership was telling Thresholds-47th staff that they wanted to expand our services through the [South Side], and hired more behavioral health providers in order to do so.
“This change in plans will have a major negative impact on the psychiatric patients who benefit greatly from the integration with the Thresholds social services sharing the same building. Thresholds patients are the most vulnerable population Howard Brown serves, often people facing homelessness and experiencing severe mental illness.
“These people need case managers who can support them in getting care and having Thresholds case managers in the same building able to support patients in getting treated is an invaluable resource. Other clinics do not have the same direct resources for our vulnerable population.”
HBH has repeatedly cited financial shortfalls for their staffing decisions in recent years. This began with HBH management’s announcement that dozens of employees would be laid off in December 2022. That action sparked two strikes in January and November 2023, and subsequent National Labor Relations Board complaints alleged against HBH due to bad faith bargaining practices.
The recently ratified contract took over 17 months to come to fruition and, among other agreements, it guarantees an average 7% raise for all workers over the next three years.