The city is closing four community clinics and another four school-based mental health programs, citing state budget cuts. WNYC’s Fred Mogul has more.

REPORTER: Heath and Hospitals Corporation President Alan Aviles says HHC needs to trim about $100 million from its budget, en route to trimming more than $300 million within the next few months, and could be looking at another $300 million in cuts after that. In the short run this means laying off about 200 workers and not filling another 200 vacancies. It also means shutting clinics and programs.

Aviles said the shortfall was due to an eight-percent increase in uninsured patients and the state’s decision not to distribute all the Medicaid dollars allotted by the federal government to city health care providers. The governor's office and state health officials declined to comment. For WNYC, I’m Fred Mogul.