Looks like Long Island College Hospital’s economic woes may be over. Remember last year when they considered shutting down the maternity department? They’re merging with SUNY Downstate Medical Center, which sounds like a good idea. Here’s an excerpt from the Brooklyn Paper’s coverage:

LICH’s current operator, Continuum Health Partners, approved an agreement on Wednesday that would merge the Cobble Hill hospital with SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Crown Heights — effectively easing LICH’s fiscal woes and its tumultuous relationship with Continuum.

For the merger to be completed, the hospitals need only the state’s approval, which shouldn’t be too difficult given LICH’s circumstances: in 2008, the 150-year-old medical center proposed closing its maternity, pediatrics and dentistry divisions in a last-ditch effort to ward off complete financial ruin and chip away at $170 million in debt. The hospital also fired or laid off at least 300 employees, and sold several buildings.