This story by Chris Mays was first published in the Brattleboro Reformer on Sept. 10, 2026.
BRATTLEBORO — Birthing services are no longer on the chopping block at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, where financial challenges have prompted the consideration.
In an announcement on Thursday, the Brattleboro Memorial Hospital Board of Directors affirmed its commitment to continuing obstetric and birthing services, including the BMH Birthing Center, thanks in part to funding through Vermont’s Rural Health Transformation Program. Previously, the board had plans to do away with the services.
“The board’s decision recognizes both the importance of the service and the financial challenges facing BMH,” the announcement states. “The hospital has sustained significant losses, including from obstetric and birthing services, and continues to focus on stabilizing its overall financial position.”
BMH reported an actual operating loss of $16 million in FY2025. As a result of operational improvements implemented during FY2026, the hospital said it now projects an operating loss of about $9.5 million for the current fiscal year. The FY2027 budget reflects an operating loss of $7.1 million, the announcement states, “indicating continued progress as the hospital executes its multi-year turnaround plan.”
Hospital leadership developed an improvement plan that includes operational efficiencies, staffing changes, increased appointment availability, improved coding and charge capture, and efforts to increase the number of births delivered at BMH, according to the announcement. The hospital also anticipates an increase in expected births in updated FY2026 projects.
“The board believes strongly that access to local maternity care is essential to the health and well-being of our community,” Chloe Learey, chairwoman of the BMH Board of Directors, said in the announcement. “We are encouraged by the progress that has been made and by the opportunity to continue improving how we deliver care.”
Learey acknowledged the need to “grow and endure through innovation, transformation, and financial and budgetary discipline.”
On Tuesday, the hospital learned it will receive funding through Vermont’s Rural Health Transformation Program. The grant will support exploration and development of new models for delivering obstetric and birthing services, and is seen as an opportunity to evaluate innovative approaches to the future delivery of maternity and related services in southern Vermont.
The hospital also plans to continue working with state and federal legislators on payment reform and potential models to strengthen the hospital’s financial stability, including exploration of Critical Access Hospital and Federally Qualified Health Center models.
The board noted that maintaining local maternity care will require continued collaboration among BMH leadership, employees, unions, community members and government officials. Community philanthropy, grants and other financial support also will be needed, according to the announcement.
“We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support from our employees, community members and state and local officials,” Learey said. “The strong commitment to preserving these critical services reflects how important local maternity care is to our region.”
Learey called for turning “that commitment into action.”
“The board is focused on advancing both near-term and long-term solutions that will secure the financial sustainability and stability of these services,” she said. “Families in our region deserve the opportunity to receive maternity care close to home.”
