Worcester City Council seeks public hearing on Community Healthlink closures

City of Worcester Mayor Joe Petty is requesting a public hearing on the April closure of several Community Healthlink programs, according to the agenda for Tuesday’s City Council meeting. 

In April, Community Healthlink halted admissions and suspended three substance abuse programs after a state inspection. CHL’s CEO and president, Tamara Lundi, stepped down from her position in May.

The request from Petty is for City Manager Eric Batista to ask the commissioner of health and human services to host the hearing about the closures in the service of reopening the facilities. 

Following the closure of the three programs at 12 Queen St. in Worcester, Community Healthlink workers who were laid off attempted to deliver a letter to UMass Memorial Health officials, the Worcester-based health system operating Community Healthlink.

In the letter, the union representing the workers wrote of a complete deterioration of services provided in the program.