Funds secured by officials will expand program connecting patients to health and social care services in Brooklyn
BROOKLYN, NY ¬- Maimonides Health today announced a Federal grant to dramatically scale up the Community Care of Brooklyn (CCB) Navigator program, a centralized virtual navigation center that connects Brooklynites to a network of community-based organizations providing medical, behavioral health, and social services. The $1.65 million in funds were secured by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and U.S. Representatives Jerrold Nadler and Nicole Malliotakis, and will allow the CCB Navigator program to serve up to 7,000 patients a year, up from just over 200 during its 2022 soft launch. This funding is key to continuing to grow this essential program that helps bring vital services to individuals and families across Brooklyn.
“More and more, we are realizing a more holistic vision for healthcare in our country, and Maimonides is pleased to be at the forefront of integrating innovative programs like this,” said Maimonides Health CEO Ken Gibbs. “As a safety-net hospital providing services to historically underserved communities, we know that we can improve health outcomes if we can connect our patients with other essential services. I look forward to the expansion of this program and the improvements it will bring to our patients lives, while also bringing down the cost of care.”
“I am pleased to have worked closely with my colleagues to deliver $1.65 million to Maimonides Medical Center for the Community Care of Brooklyn Navigator program”, said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. “This funding will drastically improve Brooklynites access to crucial health and social services.”
“I’m proud to bring home this investment for Maimonides Medical Center’s Community Care of Brooklyn Navigator program in the FY23 funding bill,” said U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. “These funds will go a long way toward supporting the expansion of the CCB Navigator, allowing the program to provide as many as 7,000 Brooklyn residents with access to community-based programs and resources.”
“I was proud to help secure over $1.6 million for Maimonides Medical Center to support the expansion of the CCB Navigator, a one-stop shop where Brooklynites can receive various medical and social services,” Congresswoman Malliotakis said. “For decades, Maimonides has provided Southern Brooklyn with high-quality care and the expansion of the CCB Navigator will only remove barriers and increase access to care for hundreds of people in our community who are in need of these resources.”
“Safety-net hospitals like Maimonides Medical Center play a critical role in providing patients—particularly those in underserved communities—with vital health and social care services. Maimonides Health’s Community Care of Brooklyn Navigator program has already shown great success in connecting Brooklynites to critical services based on their specific needs and making health care more accessible for thousands of patients,” said U.S. Representative Jerrold Nadler. “That’s why I’m so proud to have helped deliver $1.65 million in federal funding for Maimonides Health to dramatically expand this important program.”
The CCB Navigator program is overseen by The Brooklyn Health Home, a Maimonides-managed entity that has been providing community-based care management services to qualifying individuals in Brooklyn for over a decade. The CCB Navigator program aims to reduce healthcare costs, the burden on the Medicaid and Medicare systems, and administrative hurdles for referring physicians by connecting Brooklynites to resources addressing multiple physical, behavioral, and social support needs.
“By offering all Brooklynites the ability to easily connect with nearly 200 Brooklyn-based programs, we are streamlining care, breaking down barriers to access, and supporting recovery,” said Magdalena Gordon, Executive Director of The Brooklyn Health Home. “We are excited by the opportunity to expand this program and bring care management services to additional members of the community.”
The CCB Navigator program accepts referrals from all Brooklyn providers and patients, screens for patient needs, and provides connection to needed community-based programs and resources. The Federal funding announced today will:
• Support workforce development programs to hire and train additional care navigators
• Provide the IT infrastructure needed to scale up referrals for up to 25 times more patients
• Deliver care coordination and referrals for up to 7,000 patients a year
The CCB Navigator is actively continuing to add community partners and accept referrals. For more information visit thebrooklynhealthhome.org/news-updates/.
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