"'Every city department was charged with looking for ways to reduce their respective budgets," said city spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill."

Did the city "department of perks" cut their budget?
Every time we hear about the city / mayor cutting a vital service (library budget, health clinic) they should be held accountable for ignoring "requests" to reduce their own rewards. They still get cars, health insurance, double dipping privilege...

the city is short-sighted!

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It very well might. Horizon cound end the contract at any time. So much for concern for public health and the people of Jersey City. Why stop a program and system that works?

I hope this privatization doesn't go the way the Jersey City Museum went...down the tubes.

I was at the City Council Meeting when this was discussed, and it was pointed out , by the staff of the center, that if Horizon took over, clients would be charged on a sliding scale, and that not as many people could be treated. What has changed? What is the truth?

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City considers privatizing clinic

Monday, April 18, 2011
By ASHLEY STRAIN
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

In an effort to save city money but keep a valuable service available for residents, Jersey City officials are proposing that Horizon Health Services, a federally-funded entity, take over running the Preventive Medicine Clinic on Christopher Columbus Drive.

The clinic provides Jersey City residents free STD and HIV/AIDS testing. It also works with infected patients to trace the epidemiology of their disease, locating the patient's partners to inform them of a possible infection.

Currently, the state kicks in $75,183 annually to run the clinic, while the city allocates $425,000 for the service - money city officials say the city can no longer afford.

"Every city department was charged with looking for ways to reduce their respective budgets," said city spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill. The proposed agreement with Horizon Health Services, which was announced at an April 4 budget meeting, would "allow the city the ability to reduce personnel and cut costs," Morrill said.

Services at the clinic would remain the same, city officials said, adding there would be no charge for STD and HIV/AIDS testing and treatment. Horizon Health Services, city officials said, would seek more federal funding to assume the clinic's services.

"The aim of the city is to ensure these services are available to our residents through a private non-profit entity and saving (city taxpayers) several hundred thousand dollars a year," Morrill said.