Connecticut Children’s said they have filed a Certificate of Need with the Office of Health Strategy and are intending to close their inpatient pediatric satellite unit at St. Mary’s Hospital in Waterbury.
They say the decision was not made lightly, but cite staffing shortages, reduced patient volume and broad financial pressures that they say impact children’s hospitals around the country.
“This decision was not made lightly. It reflects our responsibility to allocate resources in a way that sustains exceptional pediatric care for all children while ensuring operational stability across our system,” Connecticut Children’s said in a statement to NBC Connecticut.
Connecticut Children’s said the 12-bed unit saw an average of one to two patients a day from October 2023 to September 2025.
“We would like to reassure our community that we remain committed to delivering high-quality, expert pediatric emergency care in our Emergency Department,” a spokesperson for Trinity Health of New England said. “Our team of fellowship-trained, double-board-certified pediatric emergency physicians continues to serve the pediatric population of the greater Waterbury region with excellence.”
We spoke with parents and providers in Waterbury about their reaction to the news.
“It was a great unit to have in the city for parents with kids with asthma,” Sarah Noujaim, a parent and a pediatric nurse at an outpatient health clinic in Waterbury, said.
She said her son got RSV last May and was admitted to the Connecticut Children’s floor at St. Mary’s after visiting the emergency room.
“I was able to stay with him overnight until we got his stats up so it was great it was nice to have that,” Noujaim said.
She explains that patients with severe enough problems were bypassing the satellite unit and going to the Hartford campus already. But she said she expects the long-term impact to be felt by those who benefit from having the unit right in their backyard for a brief stay.
“It’s going to put more pressure on the outpatient clinics for sure, I also believe the parents are going to make some tough decisions,” Noujaim said.
A concern we heard from providers and parents is getting from one city to the other.
“It’s very costly and a lot of mothers in Waterbury don’t have transportation. Now you are looking at a family member, paying someone to take you somewhere, and that’s rough,” Shana Bradley, a Waterbury parent who said she’s visited the Connecticut Children’s unit at St. Mary’s with her kids many times, said.
Connecticut Children’s said they’ll be coordinating with providers to ensure patients still have access to specialty and hospital-based services.
“Emergency pediatric support will continue to be available at St. Mary’s, and Connecticut Children’s will coordinate care with local clinicians to ensure seamless access to specialty and hospital-based services. If a child requires a higher level of care, they will be transferred to our Hartford campus to receive that care without interruption,” they said.
Waterbury Mayor Paul Pernerewski (D) said he was deeply disappointed to learn about this relocation.
“This move is concerning for our community and for the many families who rely on having high-quality pediatric care close to home,” he said. “Waterbury’s children and families deserve access to comprehensive healthcare services within our own community. Local access is critical, particularly when children require ongoing care.”
