{
  "id": 6406404,
  "title": "A NY Hospital Tried To Close Its Birthing Center. This City United To Fight Back.",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/a-ny-hospital-tried-to-close-its-birthing-center-this-city-united-to",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-09-09T09:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "KFF Health News",
    "slug": "kff-health-news",
    "url": "https://kffhealthnews.org/courts/troy-new-york-hospital-birthing-center-bipartisan-fight/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Troy, New York, faced a potential loss of its only birthing center when Trinity Health, a large Catholic health system, announced its closure plans. Starletta Washington, who was born at the hospital and now heads the local YWCA, expressed her shock at the decision, fearing families would have to travel 30 minutes away or risk emergency deliveries. Washington's sentiment echoed throughout the community, as the closure threatened to disrupt critical medical services.\n\nHospitals across the country have closed maternity units since 2010, as aging industrial cities and shrinking towns merge into larger healthcare systems. However, the proposed closure of Troy's Burdett Birth Center sparked a unique response. Elected officials from both parties, patient advocates, mothers, midwives, doulas, and community leaders united to challenge Trinity Health's decision. The coalition even included Planned Parenthood and the Catholic diocese, demonstrating a rare cross-party and cross-sector collaboration.\n\nMayor Carmella Mantello, a Republican, attributed the community's unity to the shared belief that \"we can’t let this happen.\" The campaign raised awareness about the potential impact of the closure on low-income families who lack access to cars and would struggle to travel to Albany for deliveries. The community also drew pride in Burdett Birth Center, which had a lower rate of C-sections, preterm births, and low birth weights compared to the state average.\n\nDespite the hospital system's financial success, Trinity Health faced criticism for its focus on profit over patient care. The community rallied to preserve Burdett Birth Center, emphasizing the importance of patient-focused care and community access to medical services.",
  "summary": "Democrats and Republicans in Troy, New York, joined together to challenge a national Catholic health system determined to close the last birthing center in the county.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}