Attorney General William Tong is urging regulators to review the community impact of a proposed closure of labor and delivery services at Sharon Hospital.
Authorities said AG Tong has received over 300 petitions from concerned community members in opposition to the closure.
The Office of Health Strategy is holding a public hearing on Tuesday to talk about the requested closure. They will either grant or deny the Certificate of Need, which is required for the hospital to proceed with the requested closure.
AG Tong said he recognizes the challenges that the hospital is facing including limited financial resources, declining birth rates and challenges with retaining staff. He also said the reasons must be balanced with the needs of the community.
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According to AG Tong's office, the hospital's 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment found that women's and maternal healthcare is an issue of high importance to area residents.
"The report cites 'wide disparities' in access to prenatal care among people of color, as well as a disproportionate number of people in the hospital’s service area receiving late or no prenatal care as compared to the state average," AG Tong said about the report.
Alternate labor and delivery locations include Charlotte Hungerford Hospital in Torrington, which is 25 miles away; Danbury Hospital, which is 40 miles away; and Fairview Hospital in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, which is 25 miles away.
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Windham Hospital and Johnson Memorial Hospital are also proposing to close their maternity units.
