Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Employees and family members rallied outside of the New York State Department of Health Office in Buffalo on Tuesday to protest the closure of the Weinberg Campus.
The campus, which is home to over 140 residents and 300 caregivers, is expected to close its doors by Nov. 30th, unless the DOH grants additional funding and approves receivership to the Lineage Care Group.
"I have looked at over 15 facilities. I can't get into one of them because they have no beds available for my mother. 15, and I'm 20th on a waiting list. How am I supposed to move my mother? What am I supposed to do? I cannot take care of her at home. We can't take her home," stated the daughter of one of the residents. "We deserve better. Please help us."
Employees at the campus have been reporting bounced paychecks, late direct deposits, negative bank accounts, high overdraft fees, and cancelled health insurance coverage.
"My husband has worked at Weinberg campus for 30 years. He has given his life to his co workers, to the residents. He has been there through COVID, through snow storms, you name it. He has given his life to Weinberg. We have no health insurance right now. He just had major surgery," stated one of the protesters. "I don't have 1,000s of dollars to pay for the coverage that we lost in August. We found out on Saturday we had no health insurance. Fix this. New York State, you have the power to fix this and to save these lives."
Healthcare Union 1199 SEIU's Area Vice President Grace Bogdanov says they were recently informed that a receivership application needed to be submitted for Lineage Care Group to take the the reins. The application has since been submitted, however, she says it could take the DOH months to review it.
"We informed the Department of Health months ago that we had concerns about the financial viability of Weinberg Campus and its current leadership. We asked the Department of Health for help in approving a receivership, because we know that Weinberg campus, as a nonprofit facility in Western New York stands to provide some of the best quality care to the residents that it serves," stated Bogdanov."
Employees have filed a class action grievance against Weinberg Campus over unpaid wages.
WBEN has received the following statement from a spokesperson with the State Department of Health:
"Our top priority is ensuring the safety and welfare of residents and their families following Weinberg’s decision to present its closure plan to the State Department of Health. The depth of Weinberg’s financial problems means that holding out months for a receivership would create an unacceptable risk for the residents’ safety and welfare. For these reasons, DOH is moving forward with Weinberg’s approved closure plan and the orderly transfer of residents to nearby facilities that will deliver the care and support they need. The State is committed to working with any entity interested in purchase of the Weinberg nursing home with the goal of sustaining these beds in the long term."