Health Connections, Inc. (HCI) and The Milwaukee Black Grassroots Network for Health Equity (MBGNHE) have stepped forward to support patients, staff, volunteers, and community partners impacted by the closure of City on a Hill.
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What Happened?
City on a Hill, a long-standing nonprofit serving Milwaukee’s underserved communities, announced it would officially close on April 3, 2026 after years of financial strain and an unsuccessful attempt to stabilize operations. The organization had previously filed for bankruptcy in late 2025 while continuing services, but leadership ultimately determined there was no sustainable path forward, bringing an end to more than 25 years of community-based programming. For decades, City on a Hill provided critical youth development, family support, and health and wellness services. Its sudden closure leaves a significant gap in Milwaukee’s safety net, particularly for uninsured and underinsured residents who rely on community-rooted care. Without a coordinated transition, hundreds of individuals and families risk losing access to essential services, highlighting broader challenges within Milwaukee’s already strained network of care. What We Have Done Immediately
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KEY DATES April 2, 2026 HCI and MBGNHE convened an emergency community meeting to understand the closure and immediate impact. Next 90 Days HCI will coordinate active transition linkage for patients, with community-based coordination focused first on clinical care. Next 5 - 10 Years Build a sustainable system for healthcare access resource mapping, convening, and coordinated crisis response for health related organizations. |
Next 90 Days: Immediate Response
- HCI will coordinate transition linkage for former City on a Hill patients to appropriate clinical services across the community.
- Prioritize continuity of clinical care first, then expand coordination to services addressing social determinants of health.
- Maintain a hands-on, community-based response over the next 90 days so no one falls through the cracks during this critical period.
GET INVOLVED
Our Collective Community Call to Action
Over the next year, the work must include:
Over the next 5 years the work must include:
- We ask that partners complete a survey to identify their ability to take transition patients and staff to new providers and roles.
Over the next 5 years the work must include:
- Comprehensive mapping of clinical and community health resources across Milwaukee.
- Creating a dedicated convening space for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), free and charitable clinics, and community health centers to come together, share challenges, and coordinate solutions — before the next crisis hits.
- We are calling on health system leaders, funders, and elected officials to resource this work properly and to assign clear system-level ownership so that community organizations are not perpetually asked to fill gaps that should never exist in the first place.
- Health Connections, Inc. and The Milwaukee Black Grassroots Network for Health Equity are at the head of the table. We need partners with power and resources to join us.
INVESTMENT & SUPPORT
Invest in a Stronger Community Response
Invest in a Stronger Community Response
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This moment requires more than short-term solutions. Your support helps fund care coordination, patient transition support, community convenings, and the development of long-term infrastructure to prevent future gaps in care.
Every contribution directly supports keeping individuals connected to care and building a more coordinated, equitable health system for Milwaukee. |
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