By Emilie St. John
Contributing Writer
WATTS — The collective cries from federal, state and local officials were successful in critically funding being added to the state’s budget to stave off the closure of a community hospital in South Los Angeles.
California lawmakers recently approved the 2024-25 budget that was pared down to $211 billion due to projected revenue shortages coupled with a multi-billion budget deficit.
Assemblyman Mike Gipson, D-Gardena, has been ringing the alarm of the possible closure of the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital since 2020.
Gipson made the startling revelation during a June 2020 Compton City Council meeting and repeated the same messaging in a press conference held at the hospital early last month.
The pleas from the community resulted in lawmakers making the funding available to keep the hospital operational including vital services provided to pregnant women.
“Despite facing a severe budget shortfall, we have managed to preserve key programs in higher education, climate, health and human services, housing, and public safety,” Gipson said. “These critical investments across various sectors — education, health care, housing and public safety — will strengthen our communities, provide better opportunities for our children, and ensure that our most vulnerable populations receive the support they need.
“Our budget creation process involved extensive public hearings and discussions with key stakeholders to ensure that every voice was heard and every concern addressed. I want to highlight something incredibly important to my district and me, funding for Martin Luther King Community Hospital. This hospital serves countless individuals in South L.A. and is one of the last facilities in the area with a maternity ward for women to deliver their babies.
“The potential closure of this hospital early next year would be a devastating blow to our community. That is why I fought for $25 million to be allocated to Martin Luther King Community Hospital.
… But the battle has not yet been won — we still have to push for a funding methodology change that will ensure that the hospital is never at risk of closure again. Still, I would like to give special thanks to budget leaders in the Assembly, Senate and the governor for responding to this need and helping keep the hospital afloat. I will continue the fight here in Sacramento to ensure our communities have the resources they deserve.”
In January, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion authored by Supervisor Holly Mitchell that invests a total of $20 million dollars of Los Angeles County’s unallocated Measure B funding over the next four years to help support the operational needs of the hospital. The motion authorizes the county’s Department of Health Services to allocate $8 million in one-time Measure B funding to be released to the hospital and an additional $4 million up until the fiscal year 2026-27.
“We have a responsibility to help ensure Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital has the funding it needs to continue to provide excellent healthcare services to our communities,” Mitchell said. “It is a vital county institution providing life-saving care to thousands of residents from communities that have historically faced limited access to quality health services. This investment builds on the county’s commitment to prioritize the health and well-being of our residents.”
Emilie St. John is a freelance journalist covering the areas of Carson, Compton, Inglewood and Willowbrook. Send tips to her at emiliesaintjohn@gmail.com.
Photo by Viola Gray
