Community Brief
Save Alameda Health System
Fact Sheet
No Cuts · No Layoffs · No Closures
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→Alameda Health System (AHS) is our county's public safety net healthcare system
→AHS has a $1.4 billion budget and about 5,000 employees
→AHS consists of 4 hospitals: Highland Hospital (169 beds), Alameda Hospital (66 beds), John George Psychiatric Hospital (80 beds), and San Leandro Hospital (63 beds)
→AHS emergency departments have over 100,000 ER visits each year across the 4 hospitals
→AHS outpatient clinics have over 400,000 visits each year
→Highland Hospital is the East Bay's only Level I Trauma Center — designated to provide trained staff and equipment for the most complex trauma patients
→The next closest Level I Trauma Centers are SF General and Santa Clara Valley Medical Center
→Highland Hospital is a teaching hospital, providing graduate medical education residency programs to new doctors
→Alameda Hospital and Highland Hospital are both Certified Primary Stroke Centers
→Most AHS patients live below the federal poverty line
→The AHS patient population is 36.9% Hispanic/Latino, 25.1% Black, 13.9% Asian
→AHS is already under-staffed, with ER wait times often over 6 hours to get a bed
→HR 1 (Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill") cut billions of dollars to Medicaid (Medi-Cal in CA)
→60% of AHS's revenue comes from Medi-Cal
→AHS expects to lose $100 million/year by 2030
→AHS initially proposed over 200 layoffs in December 2025 — notices originally to be delivered Christmas Eve — delayed to January, effective March, deferred again — currently on hold until June 30
→After public outcry and worker organizing, cuts to some departments were rescinded
→142 workers have voluntarily resigned or retired since layoffs were first announced
→111 layoffs currently planned for June 30
→Cuts include complete closure of Intensive Outpatient Behavioral Health Wellness Programs and Health Advocates program
→Cuts to plastic surgery would drop 174 cases/year — all complex wounds and exposed bone referrals
→Physicians are concerned the hospital could lose its trauma designation if cuts go through
→Ad hoc committee of 2 county supervisors (Bas and Miley), SEIU labor reps, and AHS execs meets monthly in private — next (and last) meeting is June 3rd
→AHS also planning: eliminating cost-of-living adjustments, increasing healthcare premiums 10%, unpaid furlough days for workers
→More layoffs coming — "reorganization" announcement July 20; Beilenson Hearing scheduled August 25
→AHS executives issued themselves $7 million in bonuses over the last two years
→AHS executives spent $6 million on a 3-year office lease at Jack London Square
→Closure of Outpatient Behavioral Health programs — ongoing care for people with moderate to severe mental illness
→Closure of Health Advocates program — serves 3,300 patients/year helping navigate health-related social services
→Cuts to plastic surgery — procedures repairing and reconstructing missing or damaged tissue and skin
→Cuts to care management at Highland and Alameda — discharge planning, care transitions, and medical social work
→Cuts to housekeeping throughout AHS facilities
→Cuts to Highland lab and pharmacy
→Cuts to Highland Psychology Clinic
→Cuts to the Bridge Clinic — support for patients with substance abuse related complications
→Cuts to Highland's Infection Control Department
→Cuts to Highland Dental Clinic
→Cuts to Eastmont Wellness Clinic and Marina Wellness Clinic
→Highland is the East Bay's only Level I Trauma Center — any serious traumatic accident in the East Bay means ambulance transport to Highland regardless of insurance
→70% of Highland's trauma patients are victims of traffic accidents and seniors with fall-related injuries
→Highland Emergency Department is already perpetually overcrowded with long wait times
→Services being slashed include: lab workers, pharmacy, social workers, care managers, surgery schedulers, sterile processing workers, EVS (housekeeping), and food service workers
→All cuts to hospital services mean delayed care, overburdened healthcare workers, and worse outcomes for patients