Hi Tiffany! Do sorry you got stuck at work! Here's the recap: A few of us spoke, and City Councilor Patty Nolan asked the City Manager for a more comprehensive response from CHA leadership regarding why the Birth Center is still closed. Please stay tuned and spread the word that a rally will be organized if we don't soon have a firm date on when the Center will reopen. Warm regards, Ann Ann Sweeney Acadia Consulting 617-901-2777 ________________________________ From: tiffany morris-smith <tmorrissmith@gmail.com> Sent: Monday, October 3, 2022 7:23:44 PM To: Ann Sweeney <ann@annsweeney.com> Cc: huronvillageparents@groups.io <huronvillageparents@groups.io>; Abridged recipients <fresh-pond-residents-alliance@googlegroups.com>; Lee Farris <Lee@leefarris.net>; neighbors@buenavistasocialclub.org <neighbors@buenavistasocialclub.org>; teamoms@yahoo.com <teamoms@yahoo.com>; MassDoulas <massdoulas@googlegroups.com>; Nextdoor Huron Village <reply@rs.email.nextdoor.com> Subject: Re: Cambridge Birth Center Action ALERT--Tonight at 6:30 PM Hi Friends, Sorry I missed the call tonight. I am still on a work call that was unexpectedly scheduled. How did it go? Best wishes Tiffany. I was really looking forward to this call as the Birth Center means so much to me On Mon, Oct 3, 2022, 3:53 PM Ann Sweeney <ann@annsweeney.com<mailto:ann@annsweeney.com>> wrote: Dear Friends, As many of you know, the Cambridge Birth Center, on the grounds of Cambridge Hospital, was inexplicably dubbed an “outpatient service” instead of an “essential service” during the pandemic, and has now remained closed for births for two years. The Birth Center closure has created a significant hardship for birthing people and their families in Greater Cambridge, particularly for communities who are underserved by the medical birth model. Cambridge City Councilor Patty Nolan submitted a policy order a few weeks ago, asking why the Center is still closed. The response received from Cambridge Hospital alluded to staffing and other issues, and was insufficient at best. Councilor Nolan has put the birth center on TONIGHT’s City Council agenda and will ask that the Center be opened for births again as soon as possible. A hearty thanks as well to Rep. Marjorie Decker for her sustained efforts and leadership on this issue. During this National Midwifery Week (3-8 October) it is especially important that we ask Cambridge Hospital leadership to recognize the outstanding outcomes provided by birth center midwives and of the Midwifery Model of Care. This model is puts patients first and has been shown to have better outcomes and high patient satisfaction. With apologies for the short notice, please do consider attending tonight’s 6:30 PM City Council meeting via the Zoom link here: https://www.cambridgema.gov/departments/citycouncil If you are willing, please consider speaking for 2-3 minutes in support of the Birth Center and of the important role the Center has in mitigating some of the vast health care disparities in our community. Please share broadly. Thank you for your potential support and consideration! Ann Sweeney Massachusetts Friends of Midwives (MFOM) https://www.facebook.com/groups/41256021750/