State Sen. Ventura to host town hall in Joliet on Ascension Saint Joseph sale

Joliet — State Sen. Rachel Ventura, D-Joliet, announced that she will be hosting a community town hall Oct. 16 with representatives from Prime HealthCare and Ascension to discuss the acquisition of Saint Joseph Hospital – Joliet.

The event will be from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Joliet Public Library Black Road Branch, located at 3395 Black Road. Admission is free, and coffee and doughnuts will be provided.

“I highly encourage residents, local leaders and health care workers to attend this town hall, which will provide an opportunity to learn about future plans for the hospital, services provided and how extensive care programs may be changed,” Ventura said in a statement. “By providing this space for questions and comments, I hope we can alleviate some of the confusion surrounding this new acquisition and make sure all community members’ concerns are heard.”

The event comes as Ascension is facing renewed criticism from the St. Joseph Nurses Association for alleged unfair labor practices, which resulted in a protest outside the hospital Tuesday.

Ascension has denied all accusations from the nurses union and declined to comment further on personnel matters.