Susan Johnson

A new law giving expecting mothers more access to high-quality maternal health services closer to home is going to take effect January 1, 2024. Governor Lamont signed Public Act 23-147, which will license free-standing birth centers and allow them to operate in Connecticut. These facilities will function independently and serve as an alternative to a traditional hospital for low-risk pregnancies and deliveries. I am proud to have cosponsored this bill, which the House and Senate passed unanimously during the legislative session.

The new law will have a large impact on Windham because it paves the road for a potential birthing center to open right here in Windham. As it stands, many moms-to-be can no longer give birth at Windham Hospital because the facility shut down its maternity ward. The closure has forced pregnant women in our area to drive long distances on winding and secondary roads to give birth at another hospital. We discussed this subject in depth on the Mother’s Day edition of “Let’s Talk About It.” Click on the video below to listen to our conversation.

Discussion on impact of Windham Hospital maternity ward closure and benefits of birth centers.

Specifically, this new law:

• Requires the Connecticut Department of Public Health to oversee the licensing of birth centers
• Prohibits anyone from establishing or operating a birth center unless it obtains a license
• Establishes a doula certification program administered by the Connecticut Department of Public Health
• Directs the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood to design a statewide program for universal nurse home visiting, building on a pilot program in the Greater Bridgeport area that provides a population-level solution to offer care and services early in an infant’s life.

In recent years, overall pregnancy-associated deaths have consistently increased among all race and age groups. The situation is even more dire among Black populations, which consistently see higher rates of maternal mortality at national and state levels. Between 2015 and 2017, people of color made up 44.9% of those giving birth and 63.6% of all pregnancy-related deaths. This can be attributed to lack of equitable access to health care resources, including providers.