New health center to replace Soundview

The Institute for Family Health will start a new health facility at the location of the troubled Soundview Health Center, where former state Sen. Pedro Espada’s name is currently emblazoned on the awning.

Neil Calman, president and CEO of The Institute for Family Health, was the founding medical director of the Soundview Health Center, located at 731 White Plains Road, when it opened in 1981. Three decades later, Mr. Calman last week signed a lease for the building that housed the flagship center of Mr. Espada’s Soundview Healthcare Network.

After weeks of struggling to stay open because of financial difficulties, Soundview closed its doors recently. The Institute for Family Health needs New York State Department of Health approval before its new center — to be named the Stevenson Family Health Center — can open. It is unclear how long that process will take.

According to a press release, The Institute for Family Health is taking the necessary steps to have it become a federally qualified health center.

When it opens, Stevenson will begin providing primary care; dental and mental health services will be offered later in the year.

Last summer, the Office of the Medicaid Inspector General announced its intention to stop Medicaid funding to Soundview.

One of the reasons it gave was that the network had failed to remove Mr. Espada and his other son, Pedro G. Espada, from their management positions after both were indicted on embezzlement charges.

The Office of the Medicaid Inspector General excluded Mr. Espada and his son, Pedro G. Espada, from the state Medicaid system in January 2011.

A jury found Mr. Espada guilty on four counts of stealing more than $448,000 from the Soundview Healthcare Network on May 14, but a mistrial was declared on fraud and conspiracy charges.

The U.S. District Attorney’s Office announced on June 5 it would retry Mr. Espada and his son on counts that resulted in a hung jury. Mr. Espada also faces tax evasion charges.