Elgin Nelson
A month ago, community members and leaders banded together, rallying to secure funding to keep the maternity ward at Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital (MLKCH) open. Their prayers were answered when Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the state budget securing a crucial $25 million for MLKCH.
State Senator Steven Bradford recognized the significance of the funding and highlighted the collaborative efforts of elected officials and the community. “Not only the elected officials but as a community as a whole, of this tremendous staff that does incredible work that’s needed in this community,” he said.
Assemblymember Mike Gipson also expressed his gratitude for the funding.
“My community and I are extremely grateful to know that, come August, the $25 million of State of California funding written into SB 108 (Wiener) will be formalized and the short-term operational future of MLK will remain secure,” said Gipson.
He continued to highlight the importance of collective advocacy: “This could not have happened without a groundswell of advocacy from the people of South L.A. and my fellow legislators. It would never have happened without strong leadership from our budgeters in the Legislature nor without the Governor.”
Gipson further addressed ongoing challenges: “My chief issue remains that MLK’s funding formula is insufficient for a hospital serving this size population with high-level qualities of care. I will continue to advocate before my fellow state leaders for restructuring, and I will champion MLK’s ability to keep treating our communities.”
Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell pledges her commitment to tirelessly advocate for increased funding for MLK Hospital. “Martin Luther King Hospital is a vital institution that touches the lives of residents throughout South LA and its surrounding communities. Its door must and will remain open.”
“I’m proud that this past year, the Board of Supervisors approved my motion to provide Martin Luther King Hospital with $20 million in funding and to have been part of the collective effort to secure $25 million in state funding. I am committed to working with MLK Hospital, county, and state leaders to identify sustainable ongoing funding to ensure this award-winning community asset can continue providing lifesaving services and care.”
Despite the recent funding victory, officials caution that the fight for a sustainable solution is ongoing. Created to serve 30,000 patients annually, MLKCH’s reality far exceeds this projection, with the emergency department catering to four times that amount. This volume, primarily composed of publicly insured patients, strains the hospital’s financial viability and underscores the need for sustained support.
Bradford took a tour of the hospital last year with Gov. Gavin Newsom, who had already secured additional funding for infrastructure and staffing yet acknowledged that more support is needed.
“MLK Jr. Community Hospital is vital to our South LA community’s health, and we must add state budget funding to keep its doors open,” he stressed. “We often say that the state budget is a reflection of our values and now is the time to prove it.”
The reopening of MLKCH was also made possible through the efforts of former County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas and Patrick Soon-Shiong, owner of the Los Angeles Times, who donated $100 million to restart the facility, enlisting UCLA doctors and residents.
“It’s now an opportunity to right a wrong in which disparities would affect not only the entire community, but it also affects the nation, so the opportunity for me now to be a catalyst for the L.A. County and the UC system to come together and open up this institution to me is a privilege,” Soon-Shiong stated at the time.