Speaker Adams, Council Member Rita Joseph Announce $8 Million to Renovate Kings County Hospital’s Trauma Center and Primary Care Clinic

Brooklyn, NY - Today, New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and Council Member Rita Joseph joined NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County CEO Sheldon McLeod to announce an $8 million capital funding allocation in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 budget to the public hospital. The funding will support the expansion and renovation of the hospital's Level 1 Trauma Center and primary care practice. Of the total $8 million investment, $5 million will go towards adding two trauma bays to the hospital's emergency department and $3 million will be used to upgrade the primary care clinic with the latest technology and equipment.

NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County's Emergency Department saw over 125,000 visits last year, serving as a designated Level I Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and providing advanced emergency and critical care to patients across Brooklyn. Kings County's primary care services anchor community health in Central Brooklyn, seeing on average 1 million visits yearly, offering comprehensive preventive and chronic disease management, and helping to reduce avoidable hospitalizations through early intervention.

"To ensure every New Yorker has access to quality and affordable health care, we must invest in our public hospitals that serve as lifelines for our communities," said Council Speaker Adrienne Adams. "The Council is proud to have secured $8 million in capital funding for Kings County Hospital so that it can continue providing life-saving care to New Yorkers, regardless of background, status, or ability to pay. This funding commitment to improve the Level I Trauma Center and the hospital's primary care clinic will ensure patients have access to care that employs the latest technology and equipment. I thank Council Member Rita Joseph, Kings County Hospital, and all of the dedicated staff for their work to keep New Yorkers healthy and safe."

"Adequate healthcare is a prerequisite for prosperity in any community. I am proud to join Speaker Adams in announcing this $8 million capital investment in NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County, which is a lifeline for Central Brooklyn," said Council Member Rita Joseph. "By upgrading the Level I Trauma Bay and the primary care clinic, we are making a real commitment to the health and safety of our neighbors. These improvements will ensure that families in our community have access to quality emergency and primary care, while also giving our dedicated healthcare workers the resources they need to serve the hundreds of thousands of patients who come through these doors each year. Investing in healthcare here in Central Brooklyn means investing in stronger, healthier communities."

"This investment reflects our unwavering commitment to expanding access to high-quality care," said Sheldon McLeod, Chief Executive Officer of NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County. "By strengthening both emergency and primary care, we are ensuring our patients and families receive the right care in the right place at the right time."

"We are grateful for the $8 million in FY26 capital funding, which will expand our Level I Trauma Center and upgrade our primary care facilities," said Dr. Rajesh Verma, Chief Medical Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County. "These investments will help us deliver high-quality care to over 700,000 patients annually and ensure our community has access to the latest medical technology, regardless of ability to pay."

"This support strengthens our ability to manage complex trauma cases," said Dr. Elias Youssef, Chief of Emergency Medicine at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County. "It also ensures seamless care from the Emergency Department to the Operating Suites and Intensive Care Units, supporting our mission to deliver timely, lifesaving interventions when seconds matter most."

###