On June 13th, 2023, St. Peters Health Partners announced their intentions to close the Burdett Birth Center, located at Samaritan Hospital in Troy, NY. Burdett Birth Center is not only the singular Midwife-led birth center in the entire Capital Region, it is the ONLY maternity ward in all of Rensselaer County. This unique collaborative-care model is statistically proven to produce the best outcomes for birthing people and babies. Burdett's cesarean rate is 15% on the whole and 8.9% for Capital Region Midwifery specifically. This is a testament to the dedication of the entire staff of Burdett to uphold a low-intervention model of care and maintain the utmost respect for the physiologic birth process. This decision was made behind closed doors, without any input or engagement from the community Burdett serves. The closure would dramatically impact the already drastically underserved city of Troy. 51% of patients at Burdett receive Medicaid, and this closure will disproportionally affect BIPOC and working-class families.
Learn more about the Burdett Birth Center.
On Monday, September 18, at Russell Sage College, New York State Attorney General Letitia James hosted a public hearing about the potential closure of the Burdett Birth Center at Samaritan Hospital. UWGCR Chief Impact Officer Claire Reid joined local citizens, community groups, and health care providers to testify about the devastating impact the center's closure would have on our community.
ADVOCATE WITH WOMEN UNITED
Email Template
Dear [INSERT NAME],
I am writing to ask you to reconsider the planned closure of the Burdett Birth Center in Troy. As a member of United Way of the Greater Capital Region’s Women United, we advocate for the health and well-being of all women and children in the Capital Region and beyond. If the proposal to shutter Burdett goes through, a harmful burden will be placed on expectant mothers in our community.
Along with our partners in the Save Burdett Birth Center Coalition, United Way is passionate about eliminating barriers to quality, affordable health care. Leaving Rensselaer County without a maternity ward would be a dangerous step in the wrong direction. By forcing mothers and their babies to travel longer distances to receive prenatal, delivery, and postnatal care, families will face added expense and time away from home and work.
With slightly more than half of its patients eligible for Medicaid, Burdett has been a lifeline for many of the most vulnerable members of our community. Closing its doors would have a disproportionate impact on Brown and BIPOC families who call Troy and the rest of Rensselaer County home. In a community where access to care is already limited, this would halt years of progress toward building a more equitable healthcare system in the Capital Region.
Earlier this spring, Senator Charles Schumer secured nearly $200 million in federal funds for Capital Region hospitals through a change in the Medicare reimbursement process. At a time when our local healthcare system is set to receive a record influx of revenue, we believe providing safe, affordable, and convenient care for mothers and their children should remain our highest priority. United Way and Women United are committed to working alongside all local stakeholders to find a solution that results in Burdett staying open and remaining a vital resource for our community.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
[INSERT YOUR NAME HERE]
Women United Member
United Way of the Greater Capital Region
SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
James McDonald
Commissioner of Health
james.mcdonald@health.ny.gov
Johanne Morne
Office of Commissioner
Johanne.Morne@health.ny.gov
Ursula Bauer
Deputy Commissioner
Office of Public Health Ursula.bauer@health.ny.gov
John Morley
Director
Office of Primary Care and Health Systems Management
john.morley@health.ny.gov
Jennifer Treacy
Deputy Director
Office of Primary Care and Health Systems Management
Jennifer.treacy@health.ny.gov
Johanne Morne
Deputy Commissioner
Office of Health Equity and Human Rights
Johanne.morne@health.ny.gov
Marilyn Kacica
Medical Director
Division of Family Health, Center for Community Health
Marilyn.kacica@health.ny.gov
Khalil Alshaer
Office of Health Insurance Programs
Khalil.alshaer@health.ny.gov
Douglas Fish
Medical Director
Office of Health Insurance Programs
douglas.fish@health.ny.gov