FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, June 1, 2023

SEN. KUSHNER VOTES FOR BILL TO CREATE FIRST-EVER BIRTHING CENTER LICENSE

Tour of the Connecticut Childbirth & Women’s Center in Danbury Cements the Need for Birthing Center Licenses

HARTFORD – Just two weeks after touring the Connecticut Childbirth & Women’s Center in Danbury with the state public health commissioner, state Senator Julie Kushner (D-Danbury) today joined a unanimous state Senate vote to create a new and separate licensing category for stand-alone, private birthing centers staffed by midwives.

Senate Bill 986, “AN ACT PROTECTING MATERNAL HEALTH,” seeks to increase access to maternal health services for women across Connecticut. It passed the Senate on a 36-0 vote and now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Founded in 1997, the Connecticut Childbirth & Women’s Center is located across the street from Danbury Hospital and is one of the nearly 250 accredited birthing centers in the United States and the only one in Connecticut. Staffed by a team of midwives, its homelike atmosphere meets all local, state, and federal health, fire and safety regulations and is licensed by the state Department of Public Health. Sen. Kushner toured the facility on May 18.

“I first visited the Connecticut Childbirth & Women’s Center four years ago, and that was the beginning of my desire to see legislation that would help women statewide have more and better access to different birthing options other than an expensive trip to a traditional hospital,” Sen. Kushner said.  “For example, 20 percent of the people who deliver at the women’s center are on Medicaid. Having this as an option for them and creating more options like this for other women all across Connecticut, is incredibly important. It also gives women a choice of where they want to have their baby, either at home or in a hospital or in a birthing center like this.”

Sen. Kushner (right) in a room at the Connecticut Childbirth & Women’s Center on May 18, 2023.

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