Brooklyn Plaza Medical Center (BPMC) has been part of the fabric of the Fort Greene neighborhood in Brooklyn since 1978. Founded as “HIRE – Health Is a Right for Everyone” by Dr. Josephine English, a trailblazing Black obstetrician/gynecologist, BPMC’s mission from its beginning has been to provide primary care in Fort Greene, one of the most disinvested communities in Brooklyn.

Now, BPMC is expanding to a new home at the Brooklyn Armory in Crown Heights, where access to health care is urgently needed, while maintaining a presence near the New York City Housing Authority’s Walt Whitman Houses in Fort Greene. This marks a new chapter in BPMC’s mission to build a healthier Brooklyn.

“Fort Greene used to look very different than it does now,” noted Philip “Phil” Onorato, Esq., CEO of BPMC. “The problems were different; the environment was different. Over the years, Fort Greene has gentrified, which led us to explore Crown Heights as a new frontier for BPMC. Crown Heights is a predominantly lower-income, minority community with a high prevalence of chronic disease and insufficient access to primary care.”

Phil continued, “I’m proud that BPMC will offer a one-stop shop for people in the community, where they can access primary care, dental care, ophthalmology, and pediatrics. I foresee BPMC as a beacon in the community.”

Community health is at the heart of what BPMC does. The health center is committed to providing the highest quality care to patients in an atmosphere of dignity and respect.

“Community can be lost in big cities like Brooklyn,” said Pascale Kersaint, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at BPMC. “We use an evidence-based approach of holding group visits, where people with a common issue come to the health center at the same time and form a peer group.”

The Brooklyn Armory location is perfect for this kind of community-building care. “When people get care in a group setting—in a community—we find better adherence to care and better health outcomes,” Dr. Kersaint explained. “In our new Crown Heights site, we have space for group visits to address chronic conditions, including diabetes, HIV, and substance use, in addition to maternal-child health.”

BPMC is excited to continue to focus on patient-centered care in its new site. Dr. Kersaint, who trained in Crown Heights and has served the neighborhood for decades, said, “This is truly a patient-centered medical home. In this new space, there’s an opportunity to do so much more.”

PCDC partnered with BPMC to finance the Crown Heights location, along with Chase Bank and the NYC Neighborhood Capital Corporation, which provided New Markets Tax Credits.

“This project wouldn’t be possible without PCDC,” said Phil. “We are honored that PCDC thought it would be worthwhile to invest in us and in the Crown Heights community. And it was at a PCDC Gala where we first met Chase Bank. So, we are doubly grateful to PCDC!”

BPMC, as a Federally Qualified Health Center, faces some headwinds from possible changes in health care financing.

“Resiliency is such a challenge because there’s a disconnect between what’s going on at the ground level and in government,” noted Phil. “On the ground, the appetite for primary care is robust. And that’s why, even as health care is in flux and unpredictable, we will continue to provide preventive and primary care to serve our community.”

With this new health center in Crown Heights, BPMC will be an even greater resource for a healthier Brooklyn.

PCDC is proud to honor Brooklyn Plaza Medical Center at the upcoming 2025 PCDC Gala on June 2 in NYC.

Sponsor or attend the Gala—and if you can’t attend, show your commitment to the future of primary care by donating today.