top of page
Search

SAVED!

Writer's picture: Elizabeth AddeoElizabeth Addeo



We applaud the announcement by state Assemblymember John McDonald and

executives of the St. Peter’s Health Partners that the Burdett Birth Center has been

rescued from planned closure.


● This is a victory for moms, birthing people, and families in Rensselaer County and the

entire Capital Region. The individuals and organizations that make up Save Burdett Birth

Center Coalition have worked tirelessly over the last 11 months to keep Burdett open.

This outcome proves that when people come together and they do not give up, they can

have a profound effect on issues that matter to their community.


o   Our community showed up and spoke out. We are overjoyed that after 11 months of protests over the plan to close the center, we won! The community was loud and steadfast in their support of Burdett Birth Center and its unique model of collaborative midwifery care● Burdett Birth Center provides a desperately-needed option for Black pregnant people, LGBTQ+ pregnant people and others who have experienced disrespect elsewhere in the medical system. With its low c-section rates and compassionate care, Burdett Birth Center offers safe, respectful birthing to such individuals and their families.


● We call on St. Peter’s Health Partners to come together with the community to preserve and support this much-beloved birth center for many years into the future. A five-year reprieve is welcome, but it is also an opportunity for investment in making the Burdett Birth Center sustainable beyond that five-year period.


● Burdett Birth Center is a model of midwife-led, low intervention maternity care that allows low-risk patients to be in charge of their own birthing process. There is a strong demand for this type of birth experience, and with proper support and marketing, Burdett could fulfill this need for pregnant people from across the Capital District and beyond.


● We hope this win can inspire other communities to fight the alarming trend of hospital and maternity unit closures that are harming women, LGBTQIA+ people and our families. Our coalition has demonstrated that community members working in close collaboration with healthcare professionals, stakeholders, and with the bipartisan support of elected officials can preserve and uplift these critical services. Who we thank.......


● We rejoice that the community’s concerns (and outrage) about closing Burdett have been heard, and funding has been secured to keep Burdett open for another five years. The coalition is especially grateful for the advocacy of Assemblymember McDonald, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and our Assembly Health Chair Amy Paulin, who secured $5 million in the state budget to help keep Burdett open. We also note that SPHP executives have somehow found funds in Samaritan Hospital’s budget to maintain the center, after insisting for months that this was not possible.● Save Burdett Birth Center Coalition is appreciative of the state Department of Health’s careful review of the Health Equity Impact Assessments. This case was the first test of the HEIA law and it worked! Both assessments found there would be serious negative impacts on medically underserved people, including lack of affordable 24/7transportation to other Capital Region hospitals and capacity issues at those hospitals.


● SBBCC is appreciative of actions by State Attorney General Letitia James, the only state official to hold a public hearing on the potential closure of Burdett. The AG’s hearing brought to light many of the community’s concerns about the closure plan.● We praise the actions of members of area labor unions who helped make the community’s case against the closure of Burdett. NYSNA (New York Nurses Association) and the Troy Firefighters Union

 


14 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page