Central Park Hospital Makes Staff Sign Anti-LGBTQ Doc: Advocates

CENTRAL PARK, MANHATTAN — When Timothy Lunceford-Stevens signed up to be a volunteer at the coronavirus field hospital set up in Central Park, he says Samaritan's Purse, the group running the hospital, seemed excited to have him join.

That is, until he refused to sign an 11-point "Statement of Faith."

"I told them that I was eager to do the work, even though I knew we had disagreements, but that I could not sign a ‘Statement of Faith,'" said Lunceford-Stevens, who struggled with anti-LGBTQ and severe religious claims in the statement.

"They then rejected my application, with no further communication."

(To keep up with coronavirus news in the Upper West Side, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

Lunceford-Stevens — one of at least two volunteers who were rejected after refusing to sign the statement — is now among a group of advocates who are calling for an investigation into Samaritan's Purse by the city's Human Rights Commission.

He has already filed a complaint with the commission about his rejected application, which he claims violates the state's anti-discrimination laws for employers.

The push for an investigation, led by the Reclaim Pride Coalition, is the latest condemnation of Mount Sinai and New York City's partnership with Samaritan's Purse, whose leader has described LGBTQ people as "immoral" and "detestable."

The organization's "Statement of Faith"outlines the group's strict evangelical beliefs, including that "marriage is exclusively the union of one genetic male and one genetic female" and that those who are "unrighteous" will face "everlasting punishment in hell."

The advocates contend that Mount Sinai should demand the group stop requiring staff and volunteers to sign it.

"New Yorkers trying to help in this crisis should not be turned away because they refuse to endorse Samaritan’s Purse’s exclusionary agenda," organizer Natalie James said.

Mount Sinai has said that the only volunteers used at the hospital were during the set-up process and that they were not made to sign anything.

But, the Samaritan's Purse website still shows a link for "Christian healthcare professionals" to apply on its page about the Central Park Hospital. The job description includes the "Statement of Faith" and notes that "All applicants should have an active relationship with Jesus Christ."

When asked about this specifically, a spokesperson for Mount Sinai pointed to the fact that hospital staff are worn thin and that the field hospital helps address the overflow. The tent and payment of staff are donated by Samaritan's Purse at no cost to Mount Sinai, the city or state, he said.

"While our organizations may have differences of opinions (this includes hiring), when it comes to COVID-19 we are fully united: we will care for everyone and no patients or staff will be discriminated against," spokesperson Jason Kaplan said.

The group of advocates, though, argue that the city and state still need to create a plan to monitor the organization while they are working in New York City.

The group held a social-distancing-compliant rally outside the hospital on Tuesday to outline their demands.

In addition to removing the "Statement of Faith," investigating the group's hiring practices and monitoring the organization, they contend that it should be revealed how Samaritan's Purse were chosen to operate the facility.

"Did anyone bother Googling field hospital companies?" organizer Jay Walker said at the rally. "Several companies come up…companies that do not discriminate. Why was Samaritan’s Purse the go-to?"

The 68-bed facility in Central Park began treating coronavirus patients at the end of March.

This story was updated with a response from Mount Sinai.