By Kyle LoJacono
Hillsborough County’s Health Department is the latest in a long line of government agencies feeling the brunt of budget cuts handed out by the state Legislature and Gov. Rick Scott.
The department will close six of its nine clinics, including the north Hillsborough site at 9827 N. Sheldon Road, and lay off 114 employees to meet its budget for 2012, according to agency spokesman Steve Huard.
The reductions are part of a larger goal to cut $22.3 million the Legislature spends on county health boards throughout Florida. The health department is under the jurisdiction of the state, not Hillsborough County.
Huard said most of the clients from the six closing locations are Medicaid recipients. The majority of those will be transferred to a pair of nonprofit healthcare providers — Suncoast Community Health Centers and Tampa Bay Family Health Centers. Both companies are federally qualified to care for low-income patients.
Last year, state lawmakers required the Florida Department of Health to review all operations to cut costs. The state agency decided it was best to eliminate 1,608 jobs from several county branches while shifting patients into private companies.
Charles Bottoms, CEO of Tampa Bay Family Health Centers, said his nonprofit can provide care less expensively than either the state or county.
“One reason is that our workers don’t get big benefits packages offered by the state,” Bottoms said. “We’re a nonprofit, so we keep our costs down wherever we can.”
A total of 114 doctors, nurses and other workers currently work at the six closing locations. Huard said those employees will not be transferred to the remaining three health department sites. However, he added many will be hired by the two nonprofit groups receiving a large number of the department’s former clients to help handle the increased demand.
“Those who wanted to come on board with us were offered positions,” Bottoms said.
Huard did say it is “very unlikely” all the workers would get jobs at the two nonprofits.
The six closing facilities mainly provided pediatric and maternal care.
“Those patients will notice a few changes in care or providers after the transition,” Huard said. “What we’ve been working toward is people coming in and seeing the same provider at the same location, and they really shouldn’t see a great change in their services.”
For additional information on the Hillsborough Health Department, visit www.hillscountyhealth.org or call (813) 307-8000 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Locations closing
–North Hillsborough Health Center, 9827 N. Sheldon Road in Tampa
–University Area Health Center, 13601 N. 22nd St. in Tampa
–Sulphur Springs Health Center, 8605 N. Mitchell Ave. in Tampa
–Floyd Kelton Health Center, 4704-B W. Montgomery Ave. in Tampa
–Joyce Ely Health Center, 205 14th Ave. S.E. in Ruskin
–Plant City Health Center, 302 N. Michigan Ave. in Plant City
Sites staying open
–Hargrett Building Health Center, 2002 E. 26th Ave. in Tampa
–Downtown Health Center, 1105 E. Kennedy Blvd. in Tampa
–TB Clinic, 8515 N. Mitchell Ave. in Tampa
