Congressionally Directed Spending for Construction Projects - Founded in 1866 as one of New York City’s first pediatric healthcare charities, The Floating Hospital (TFH) began its mission by providing quality care to immigrants, newsboys, child laborers and other forgotten youth aboard its ship. Today, TFH operates a series of homeless, community, and public housing clinics in New York City. It is licensed under NYS Article 28 and Article 31. Under its FQHC umbrella, TFH operates 330(e), 330(h) and 330(i) programs. TFH’s mission is fulfilled through: a main clinic in Queens serving homeless families, public housing residents and low-income community residents; two clinics serving public housing and community residents (including a free-standing clinic in Queensbridge, the largest public housing project in the U.S.); and four clinics based in family homeless shelters in Brooklyn and the Bronx. In addition, TFH operates the only clinic at the NYC intake facility called PATH. TFH serves patients from 250+ different homeless shelters and domestic violence safe houses located throughout all five NYC boroughs. This is achieved through the diligent implementation of outreach and transportation programs. Its patient base experiences typical problems facing inner city populations: poverty, lack of socio-economic opportunities, substance abuse, domestic violence, and poor nutrition and healthcare. In response, TFH provides primary medical, mental health and dental services to all who need them, regardless of ability to pay. TFH’s health care team consists of a Chief Medical Officer, family practice and internal medicine-pediatrics physicians, family nurse practitioners, physician assistants, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, dentists and supporting staff consisting of benefits counselors, outreach workers, medical assistants, dental assistants, and health educators/case managers. Administrative and related staff support the program’s operations, and there are also ancillary services such as Medicaid Managed Care enrollers. TFH’s program offers primary health care services, oral health care, mental health services, substance abuse counseling, health education, and entitlements counseling. Specialty services offered include cardiology and podiatry, and TFH will be adding optometry to its scope as well. In its most recent UDS reporting period (January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022), TFH’s FQHC program provided 72,399 encounters to 26,890 patients, including 51,546 medical encounters, 13,750 mental health encounters, 730 substance abuse encounters and 5,428 dental encounters. In its role as one of NYC’s last few charity hospitals, TFH remains a beacon of hope to many communities. Through continuous quality improvement and providing ever-more comprehensive services to its patient base, TFH plans on further successes.
