Statement of the Windham County Legislative Delegation in Support of BMH

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital is one of the most important institutions in southeastern Vermont. Every day it provides primary care, emergency care, cancer treatment, surgery, rehabilitation, behavioral health services, maternity care, and countless other services that allow people to receive high-quality healthcare close to home.

We understand why so many families are deeply concerned about the future of the Birthing Center. For generations, parents have welcomed their children into the world at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. The possibility of losing local maternity services is painful for families, caregivers, and the broader community.

The challenges facing Brattleboro Memorial Hospital are real, and they are not unique.

Across Vermont and throughout the country, rural hospitals are struggling with declining birth rates, workforce shortages, inadequate reimbursement, and rising healthcare costs. Fewer than half of rural hospitals in America now provide obstetric services. These are systemic problems that cannot be solved by any one hospital or any one community.

The hospital's Board of Directors has the difficult responsibility of protecting the long-term viability of the entire hospital while also exploring every reasonable opportunity to preserve obstetric services. We recognize the seriousness of the financial challenges they face and appreciate the work being done by the Board, Acting Co-CEOs Dr. Tony Blofson and Dr. Elizabeth McClarney, physicians, nurses, and all staff during an extraordinarily difficult period. We also recognize that recruiting permanent executive leadership will be an important part of positioning the hospital for long-term success.

We are encouraged that the Board has committed to continuing to explore alternatives while planning continues. The timeline provides an opportunity for all of us to work together to identify sustainable solutions.

As your legislators, our commitment is straightforward.

We will work with hospital leadership, state agencies, healthcare providers, community organizations, philanthropic partners, and federal officials to pursue every realistic opportunity to strengthen Brattleboro Memorial Hospital and preserve access to maternity care in our region.

That work includes advocating for improved reimbursement, identifying transition funding where appropriate, supporting operational partnerships, strengthening the healthcare workforce, and pursuing long-term reforms that better recognize the unique challenges facing rural hospitals.

We are committed to ensuring that families in southeastern Vermont continue to have timely access to safe, high-quality obstetric care. Access to maternity services is too important to leave unanswered.

Finally, we want to encourage everyone who depends on Brattleboro Memorial Hospital to continue using it whenever appropriate. Choosing BMH for primary care, imaging, laboratory services, specialty care, surgery, rehabilitation, and emergency care strengthens the hospital that our community depends upon every day. A strong hospital is the best foundation for preserving every service it provides.

This is a difficult moment, but it is also a moment for collaboration. We remain committed to working with the hospital, with our communities, and with one another to build a sustainable future for Brattleboro Memorial Hospital and the people it serves.