Joseph K. Francois

Joseph Francois was the former Chief Executive Officer of the Brownsville Community Development Corporation and the founding Executive Director of Brownsville Multi-Service Family Health Center. Mr. Francois, who passed away on July 13, 2003, was a tireless and passionate advocate for the people of Brownsville, Oceanhill and East New York. It was his leadership and vision that shaped the corporation’s mission as a social change agent. We are ever mindful that his legacy is in our every achievement. On May 11, 2006, the Brownsville Multi-Service Family Health Center (BMS) held a dedication ceremony during which the BMS Life & Wellness Center, one of the Health Center’s seven service sites, was renamed, BMS Life & Wellness Center: Joseph K. Francois Pavilion, in honor of Joseph K. Francois, the late founding executive director of BMS.

BCDC 30th Anniversary Gala Video

General information and demographics

The Brownsville Community Development Corporation (BCDC) provides for and seeks to inspire the cultural, economic, medical, and educational well-being of every individual and family in its communities. BCDC is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit founded in 1974 by community activists determined to help revitalize the neighborhood and provide its residents with much needed primary care, economic development opportunities, and enhanced educational resources. In fact, BCDC evolved out of the Ocean Hill/Brownsville education struggle of the late 1960s; a product of social agitation and activism. BCDC is governed by a Community Based Board of Directors and managed by an Executive team that includes the President & CEO, the Executive Vice President and COO, the Chief Medical Officer and the Chief Financial Officer.

In 1982, BCDC established the Brownsville Multi-Service Family Health Center (BMS), an Article 28, family health center uniquely responsive to the health care needs of the residents of Brownsville, East New York and portions of Ocean Hill, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Crown Heights, and Canarsie. Originally established with just one National Health Services Corps physician, BMS has since grown dramatically in correlation with the increasing need of community residents for health services beyond just primary care - offering a wide range of medical and non- medical services. Today, BMS is a comprehensive health and wellness facility, and the only freestanding health center in Brooklyn to be accredited by the Joint Commission. We operate out of eight existing service sites. We are also the second largest non-government employer in Brownsville, employing more than 250 professional and support staff, many of them community residents.

BMS’ geographic service area currently encompasses four (11207, 11212, 11208, 11239) of the 17 zip code areas identified on the State level as Brooklyn's high need areas. The total population of the four target zip codes is 273,660, or 27% of Brooklyn's entire high need residents. Among the widespread health conditions in the region are: HIV/AIDS, diabetes, obesity, mental illness, substance abuse, oral health care, prenatal care, low birth weight, teenage pregnancy, malnutrition, homelessness, and domestic and street violence. In 2007, BMS served approximately 13,000 medical patients, 4,000 dental patients, and 3,000 mental health/substance abuse patients. Since its opening BMS has served the equivalent of more than half the community's residents - a testament to our mission to: "provide and promote integrative and high quality medical, dental, and social services to enable every individual and family in the communities we serve to achieve total health."