ArchCare tries for CB2 support
BY JASON COHEN
After getting rejected by
Community Board 2 for a letter
of support in November, representatives
from ArchCare returned
to them last week hoping
for a second chance.
However, this time around,
Julia Cruz and Dianne Barrett
of ArchCare asked the
board to join a sign on letter,
and they are also requesting
signatures from
elected offi cials.
While the meeting was a
bit calmer than the previous
one, Barrett said that the sign
on letter was drafted and not
ready yet. District Manager
Ralph Acevedo stressed that
in order for them to put their
name on the letter, they must
see it before the full board
meeting on Dec. 16.
“I think we owe it to
them to see this letter,”
Acevedo said.
San Vicente de Paul, an
assisted living and nursing
home facility located at 900
Intervale Ave., has been in
the borough for 25 years, but
has faced fi nancial struggles.
Recently, Councilman Rafael
Salamanca and members of
CB2 and ArchCare reps discuss a sign on letter for San Vicente de Paul Screenshot
the board felt that the facility
had not been completely transparent
with its intentions.
There is a rumor ArchCare
wants to close the facility due
to a lack of residents.
According to ArchCare
CEO Scott LaRue, things have
gotten worse because New
York is the only state that
didn’t enhance nursing home
reimbursement for Medicaid
during the pandemic. Arch-
Care is trying to access the distressed
funding pool set aside
in the state budget, which can
be used for nursing homes, but
the state hasn’t made the same
commitment to support nursing
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homes in poor communities,
LaRue said.
Barrett told the members
of the Health and Human Service
committee that she has
spoken with Senators Luis
Sepulveda and Gustavo Rivera
and Assemblywoman Karines
Reyes, who all support the
sign on letter.
While she couldn’t answer
if the nursing home will stay
open or close, nor specify the
amount of money it is requesting
in the letter, Barrett said
the funds will surely help it
stay afl oat.
“This money is specifi cally
to help sustain the nursing
home,” she said. “We want to
keep closing from happening,
that’s why I’m here.”
Chairman Robert Crespo
appreciated Barrett returning
to the board, but would prefer
LaRue attend and explain
the situation.
He questioned if the sign
on letter would allow the nursing
home to remain open.
Crespo continually asked
Barrett why she did not contact
more elected offi cials,
like Assemblyman Kenny
Burgos or Assemblywoman
Amanda Septimo.
“We want to keep St. Vicente
de Paul,” he stated. “We
don’t want to lose it. But we
can’t plan unless we know
what’s happening.”
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