Insight Health System said it cannot guarantee that approximately 140 of its Howland-based employees will ever return to their jobs and would not commit to resuming operations unless the cash-starved company obtained funding.

That announcement came in the form of a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act filing Friday with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

In its letter to state officials, found online at https://shorturl.at/XNP3b, Insight said the original layoffs were scheduled to end in under six months.

“We hope that the diversion of operations will last less than six (6) months as Insight is seeking additional funding, but we have no present guarantee of additional funding,” the letter states. “Without this funding, the facility will be on diversion permanently.”

Of the 143 affected at Insight Hospital and Medical Center Hillside, registered nurses (19), physical therapists (17), certified nurses (10) and occupation nursing assistants (10) made up the highest numbers. AFSCME Ohio Council 8 and the Ohio Nurses Association are two of the unions representing the Hillside employees.

Insight continues to fault former owner Steward Health Care for its financial predicament. The Michigan health care company purchased Steward’s medical facilities last year in federal bankruptcy court.

“Steward has abruptly discontinued payments to Insight required under its bankruptcy proceedings,” Insight states. “Specifically, Steward informed Insight that they (Steward) would not be releasing significant funds to Insight on March 21, 2025, so that Insight has not received all revenue due to Insight and necessary to maintain Facility operations (including meeting payroll obligations and vendor payments to ensure no disruption in patient service).

“Insight has been diligently attempting to negotiate a resolution and secure the release of these funds but has come to the conclusion that it cannot continue operations until it is able to obtain additional funding from other sources.”

Insight officials shuttered more than a century of medical care in Trumbull County when it closed all operations, including Insight Hospital and Medical Center at Trumbull and its emergency room, Hillside and outpatient sites. On Friday, it held back scheduled paychecks and voided those arriving in the U.S. mail.

One union has questioned Insight’s ability to provide health care services in light of its recent actions.

“While Insight Health continues to operate hospitals in Flint, Michigan, and Chicago, Illinois, it has shuttered Hillside and Trumbull Regional Medical Center in Ohio — leaving workers and patients stranded,” the Ohio Nurses Association stated last week in a news release.

“If Insight Health expects to continue doing business in this region, it must explain how it plans to restore trust with patients, the community, and the workforce after this chaotic, veiled debacle. Right now, all we see is instability and a company unwilling to be transparent about its future.”

Job assistance …

OhioMeansJobs-Trumbull County and Mercy Health will assist Insight Health System employees who have lost their jobs following the closure of Insight properties in Trumbull County.

On Friday, OhioMeansJobs-Trumbull County has scheduled a “Rapid Response Event” in the campus auditorium of Kent State University at Trumbull, 4314 Mahoning Ave. NW, Champion.

Employees with last names starting with A through K will be serviced at 9 a.m. and last names L to Z at 11 a.m. A makeup session is scheduled for 1 p.m.

For additional information, call 330-675-2179.

On April 9, Mercy Health will host a hiring event 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. Elizabeth Hospital Youngstown in private dining rooms. Participants are asked to bring a resume.