Brattleboro Civic and Business Leaders Launch Coordinated Campaign to Save BMH Birthing Center
A broad coalition of Brattleboro and Windham County civic leaders, public officials, and business community members announced today a coordinated effort to prevent the closure of the BMH Birthing Center. The group is moving forward immediately on three fronts: community fundraising, state-level advocacy, and public mobilization.
The BMH Board of Directors recently voted to move toward closure of the BMH Birthing Center within six-to-nine months, citing unsustainable financial losses that will require significant external support. The coalition views that window as an opportunity to protect an essential public service in our town and region.
This is not a moment to wait and see. We have a short window, a clear plan, and a community that is already taking action. Brattleboro has faced hard moments before, and we have always shown up for each other. We are showing up now.”
— John Potter, Town Manager, Town of Brattleboro
This coalition, the Birthing Center Response Team, a Next Generation Brattleboro Initiative, will serve as the operational vehicle to raise attention, resources, and support for the BMH Birthing Center. Fundraising from individuals, local businesses, and foundations is already underway, with a focus on raising stabilizing funds while structural policy solutions are pursued at the state level. The goal is to keep the Birthing Center open in the near term and growing stronger in the long term. That starts with mobilizing additional capacity, retaining the expert providers the community relies on, and marshaling enough resources to maintain services well beyond nine months.
The economic case is clear: BMH is one of Brattleboro's largest employers, and the research on rural hospital closures is unambiguous — losing an obstetrics unit is often the first step toward losing the entire hospital. This regional coalition is organized, serious, and moving with absolute urgency to prevent that outcome.”
— Adam Grinold, Executive Director, Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC)
The coalition is also working in close coordination with BMH leadership, state legislators, the Governor’s office, the Green Mountain Care Board, and the Agency of Human Services to pursue every available policy lever. Vermont has more tools to address this crisis than almost any state — from standby capacity payments to Medicaid reimbursement reform. Oregon recently committed $37 million in state and federal support for rural maternity care. Vermont must act with the same urgency.
BMH remains focused on addressing the significant financial challenges facing rural healthcare, and we are deeply grateful for the immediate support our Birthing Center has received from community leaders across the region. Their commitment demonstrates how much this service means to our community. We look forward to continuing to work closely with these partners to explore every opportunity to preserve local maternity care.”
— Chloe Leary, BMH Board Chair
The BMH Birthing Center is open. Our nurses, providers, and staff remain committed to continuing to serve the community with safe, quality, and personalized care. What gives me hope today is seeing our community step forward with so much passion and expertise. There is work to be done, but I’m fully confident we will persevere. We cannot lose this critical community resource."
— Dr. Corina Tennant, Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital
A robust and resilient local birthing center is critical to the economic future of our community. Our working families and employees rely on the BMH Birthing Center as they build their lives and plan their futures here. Our ability to attract young families to our area, strengthen our schools, and grow our economy is inextricably tied to the viability of essential services like local birthing care. The Birthing Center is not just a healthcare asset—it is a community asset.“
— Skye Morse, Principal M&S Development
We must protect the vitality of Brattleboro and after all, is there a clearer symbol of community vitality than a newborn baby? Let’s not send our mothers to New Hampshire and Massachusetts, we must welcome the next generation of Vermonters here in Brattleboro.”
— Celine Lacroix, Owner Brattleboro Portable Storage
The stakes are significant. If the Birthing Center closes, more than 550 patients from Windham and Windsor counties would be forced to give birth out-of-state each year — over 10% of all Vermont births. Windsor County lost its delivery hospital in 2019. Today, 80% of its residents give birth out-of-state. Windham County is already the oldest county in the oldest state. Attracting and retaining young families depends in no small part on whether they can give birth close to home.
The coalition is asking every community member to take action. Visit savebirthatbmh.org to learn how to support, give, advocate, and add your voice to this effort.
Coalition Members
Town of Brattleboro • Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC) • Downtown Brattleboro Alliance (DBA) • Brattleboro Area Chamber of Commerce • Windham County State Delegation • Next Gen Brattleboro
NextGen is a collaborative consortium of civic leaders – from public agencies, businesses, non-profit organizations, and the community – committed to strengthening Greater Brattleboro’s shared economy. This multi-sector partnership is aligned around the foundational goal of increasing the Brattleboro area’s population of young families and working age people – which are an essential indicator and driver of our collective well-being.