2 Chicago Howard Brown Health clinics closing

CHICAGO (CBS) — Two of Howard Brown Health's 10 Chicago clinics will shut down.

The Diversey clinic—at 2800 N. Sheridan Rd. in East Lakeview—and the Thresholds South clinic, at 734 W. 47th St. in Canaryville—will both close in the coming months.

The nonprofit said the clinics are closing due to a budget shortfall, and because of the departure of the sole providers and the end of Howard Brown Health's leases at each location.

"These closures mark a business decision that will ensure our ability to serve patients with quality care for the next 50 years," said interim Howard Brown Health President and Chief Executive Officer Robin Gay said in a news release. "As we continue to work to achieve fiscal sustainability, we remain steadfast in our commitment to provide core health care services to all individuals in our community, regardless of their ability to pay."

Howard Brown said it will support all patients who use each site to ensure their primary and/or psychiatric care can continue at other Howard Brown clinics within 15 minutes of their current care sites.

Staff and providers have also been notified—and Howard Brown said the vast majority of staffers affected by the clinic closures are expected to be reassigned to other Howard Brown facilities. Howard Brown does not expect layoffs to occur.

Howard Brown reported it is experiencing a budget shortfall of an expected $6.6 million.

The Howard Brown Diversey clinic occupies a suite in the Ida and Norman H. Stone Medical Center—the former Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen of North America international headquarters. The building has held various medical offices for decades—many of them connected with nearby Ascension St. Joseph Hospital.

The Thresholds South clinic is housed in a building that was built in the 1910s as the House of Social Service for the United Charities of Chicago. It has for many years been used by Thresholds—a well-known recovery service provider for people suffering from mental illness and substance abuse disorders. Thresholds and Howard Brown partnered to offered primary and psychiatry care at the 47th Street location in 2016.

The Diversey clinic will close Aug. 31, the Thresholds South clinic on Sept. 30.