Governor wants to be partner in efforts to save Forum Health

YOUNGSTOWN — Gov. Ted Strickland said he understands the problems facing the financially troubled Forum Health and that “it is a critically urgent situation.”

“I don’t know that the governor can solve the problem, but the governor certainly can be and should be and I intend to be a partner in the efforts to find a correct solution,” Strickland said today during a visit to the Youngstown YWCA.

Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams wants to use federal funds — as a grant, a loan or loan guarantee — to help Forum Health get out of bankruptcy and to save the health care system and its 3,500 to 4,000 employees.

Strickland said he doesn’t know if that’s possible.

“Whether or not there are stimulus resources that could be identified for this particular purpose I think is something that has to be evaluated by folks who understand the intricacy of the stimulus resources,” he said. “I know that’s being [requested]. I don’t know what the answer may be.”

The Forum Health board of directors and its creditors are to decide by Monday if it will work to emerge from bankruptcy or sell some or all of its parts.

That decision has already been postponed from Nov. 30.

Williams said today he hopes the decision is delayed again as city, state and federal officials work together seeking last-minute solutions.

For more on this story, see Friday’s Vindicator or vindy.com