2025-141

WHEREAS, healthcare services will be greatly impacted by the approval of the federal 2025 Budget Reconciliation Act; and

WHEREAS, this will have significant impact on healthcare and the services that healthcare providers across Rhode Island will be able to provide due to substantial budget shortfalls that will require the consideration of cuts to essential programs and services; and

WHEREAS, Newport Hospital, which is now part of Brown University Health, has provided healthcare services to the residents of Aquidneck Island and its neighboring communities since 1873; and

WHEREAS, Newport Hospital recently welcomed a new President, who will now face the critical challenge of preserving the essential healthcare services that the communities need, and the impacts of what systemwide budget constraints could look like for those services; and

WHEREAS, the Noreen Stonor Drexel Birthing Center at Newport Hospital was among half a dozen statewide services that Brown University Health was considering the closure of due to budget constraints; and

WHEREAS, Brown University Health and Newport Hospital administrators recognized the essential maternal and newborn care that the Birthing Center provides to the families of Aquidneck Island and its neighboring communities and extended funding for it for Fiscal Year 2026; and

WHEREAS, this is one of the many departments at Newport Hospital that provides a full continuum of care that would be extremely difficult to replicate or rebuild if eliminated, and would greatly impact equitable healthcare access, community wellness, and the best

practices for public healthcare that the residents currently have access to; and

WHEREAS, the closure of the services that Newport Hospital provides would require significant travel for the residents of Aquidneck Island and its neighboring communities, which could pose serious risks in emergency situations that would not only place significant demand on the island residents but the local Fire and Rescue departments; and

WHEREAS, Newport’s City Council recognizes the widespread community concern and the critical impact the loss of services could provide to the health and wellbeing of the residents; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT

RESOLVED, that the Chair of the Newport City Council appoints Councilors Stephanie Smyth and Xay Khamsyvoravong to be the Council liaisons to the Newport Hospital upon passage of this resolution; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, that the liaisons will work with Brown University Health, Newport Hospital (President, Administrators, Board Members, and the Newport Hospital Foundation Board Members), state representatives, and community stakeholders to support efforts to ensure the continued availability of hospital services to the community, and to work towards exploring sustainable solutions.

STEPHANIE SMYTH
XAY KHAMSYVORAVONG
ELLEN PINNOCK
CHARLIE HOLDER

IN COUNCIL
READ AND PASSED
AUGUST 13, 2025

LAURA C. SWISTAK, CMC
CITY CLERK