Charles Drew Health Center in Omaha reduces staff

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Charles Drew Health Center said goodbye to 26 employees on Thursday.

Kenny McMorris, CEO of the health center, said that number amounted to about 13% of their total staff. He said the staff reductions won’t impact day-to-day patient care as most were administrative positions, whose duties could be absorbed by remaining staff.

It wasn’t a sudden decision, he said. The healthcare sector hasn’t been immune to the economic impacts others are facing. With fewer patients coming in, and as salaries and overall cost of doing business increased, the board had several indications that something would need to be done.

While there were a number of factors at play in the decision, the one that loomed largest was because COVID-related funding avenues — particularly in the way of grants and other sorts of funding for testing and vaccinating — had been discontinued this year, he said.

But it wasn’t all about COVID-19.

Charles Drew isn’t seeing nearly the number of patients they had projected, McMorris told 6 News on Thursday.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the health center was working to bridge gaps in healthcare — particularly “maintenance” sorts of care like doctor visits, check-ups, and so on — for communities that have historically not had a lot of faith in the medical community. Now, they’re having to retread that path and again work to regain that trust to some extent.

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McMorris told 6 News that they hope to be able to bring back those staffers in the future if demand for their services increases, and that those employees let go on Thursday would be first in line for those jobs if they do.

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