Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Community Care Network (CCN) recently recognized 31 employees for their dedicated service to the organization and its clients at CCN’s annual service awards luncheon held in Rutland. Among those recognized at the event were long-time employees Diana Fouracre, Deb Esslinger and Tanya Hall for 30 years of service, and Debbie Avison, Claire Waterman and Anna Pietryka for 35 years of service.

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in hospital rankings and consumer advice, has named Rutland Regional Medical Center as a 2025 High Performing hospital for Maternity Care. This is the highest award a hospital can earn as part of U.S. News’ Best Hospitals for Maternity Care annual study. Rutland Regional was the only hospital in Vermont to attain this recognition. To see RRMC’s detailed ratings, visit RRMC Best Performing Maternity Care. U.S. News began evaluating maternity care hospitals in 2021, rating hospitals that provide labor and delivery services and submitting detailed data to the publication for analysis. Best Hospitals for Maternity Care assist expectant parents, in consultation with their prenatal care team, in making informed decisions about where to receive maternity services that best meets their family’s needs.

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA is investing $6.3 billion in rural and Tribal communities across 44 states to expand access to a clean and reliable electric grid, provide safe drinking water and create good-paying jobs. Vermont and New Hampshire projects received $17,897,000. More than 200 projects are being financed to strengthen the nation’s infrastructure in rural places, growing the American economy from the middle out and bottom up. The Washington Electric Co-Op, which serves roughly 12,000 customers in north-central Vermont, secured a $11,195,000 EIL to connect 341 new consumers. 26 of the 1,300-miles of line will be built out or improved, and the loan includes $1,279,600 in smart grid technologies. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s Pico Mountain will kick off the 2024/25 winter season at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, December 13, 2024, and operate Thursday-Monday all season long and daily during holiday weeks. This summer, Pico Mountain nearly doubled its fleet of high-efficiency HKD snow guns. Guests will see the new equipment on 49er, Swinger, Ace of Clubs, and Upper and Lower Pike. Over the past 6 years, Pico Mountain has invested more than $6 million to improve snowmaking capacity and efficiency across the resort. This includes an upgraded pumphouse, complete with new, efficient variable speed pumps with a larger water capacity in the summer of 2023, revitalizing the snowmaking pond and adding snowmaking to A Slope with the help of the Pico Ski Education Foundation in 2022. Since summer 2019, more than 16,850 feet of new water supply pipeline was installed to supply water from Killington to Pico, in addition to over 9,000 feet of new and replacement snowmaking pipe at Pico. 

Vermont Business Magazine Grace Cottage Family Health & Hospital has been awarded a prestigious 4-star rating by the National Rural Rating System (NRRS), a program through the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) that recognizes excellence in rural healthcare and includes listing on the 2025 National Rural Honor Roll. 18 hospitals in the United States were awarded a 4-star rating; Grace Cottage was the only hospital in the Northeast to receive this 4-star distinction. The National Rural Honor Roll was created to honor rural hospitals and clinics that consistently deliver exceptional patient-centered care. Rural hospitals on the National Rural Honor Roll have met the highest standards for patient experience, based on cumulative ratings in patient surveys during 2024. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s first Open Enrollment deadline is approaching. To have coverage starting on January 1, 2025, Vermonters must enroll through Vermont Health Connect by December 15. Now is the time to check available plans and take advantage of health coverage savings available through Vermont Health Connect. During Open Enrollment, Vermonters can sign up for or change their health and dental plans for 2025. This year, many Vermonters will be eligible for better coverage plans at lower premium costs due to increased federal subsidies. The Department of Vermont Health Access (DVHA) encourages everyone to check available plan options on the Vermont Health Connect Plan Comparison Tool to ensure the best possible coverage. 

Vermont Business Magazine A team of UVM scientists led by Mark Nelson, Ph.D., from the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont, has uncovered a novel mechanism that reshapes our understanding of how blood flow is regulated in the brain. The study, published in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a high-impact, peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), introduces Electro-Calcium (E-Ca) Coupling, a process that integrates electrical and calcium signaling in brain capillaries to ensure precise blood flow delivery to active neurons. In the human body, blood is delivered into the brain from surface arteries through penetrating arterioles, or very small blood vessel that branch off from arteries, and hundreds of miles of capillaries, which enormously extend the territory of perfusion.

Vermont Business Magazine CPR Therapeutics, Inc. (CPR-T), an early-stage medtech company in Putney funded by the N.I.H and N.S.F to develop a next-generation device for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, presented seven research abstracts at the annual American Heart Association Resuscitation Science Symposium (AHA-RESS). These presentations included 5 moderated posters describing the advances the Company has made in developing its new multimodal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) technology, which is designed to improve survival from sudden cardiac arrest. 

Vermont Business Magazine The holiday season is a time for joy and connection, but it can also be a period of heightened stress, making it especially challenging for those affected by substance use disorder (SUD). SUD, which includes alcohol and other substances such as opioids, impacts millions of Americans and their families. However, celebrating sober can benefit anyone, not just those in recovery. Howard Center offers resources and support to help individuals and families make the most of the season while prioritizing health and well-being. For individuals with SUD, staying sober is a vital step in their recovery. However, those without SUD may also find benefits in choosing substance-free celebrations, such as clearer connections with loved ones, reduced risks, and an overall sense of control and wellness during a busy time of year.

Vermont Business Magazine United Way of Northwest Vermont is pleased to announce a new Employer Guide to Substance Misuse, a toolkit designed to support Vermont employers in promoting healthy and safe workplaces. The Employer Guide to Substance Misuse was created in partnership with Working Bridges, a program of United Way of Northwest Vermont and Green Mountain United Way, and Prevention Works! VT. A workgroup made up of Vermont employers and community organizations focused on substance misuse prevention and recovery participated in the project. United Way’s Working Bridges program partners with several Vermont employers whose employees and workplaces have been directly impacted by substance misuse. 

Vermont Business Magazine In 2025, private health insurance plans will cost an average of $621 per month, or $7,452 per year - rising 7% from 2024 according to a new report from insurance research site ValuePenguin.com. Four consecutive years of rate increases led to a 15% increase in health insurance premiums since 2022. Residents of 42 states will see higher premiums in 2025 - driven by the rising cost of medical care around the country. Vermont's 27% rate increase will mean health insurance in the state will cost a record $13,884/year ($1157/month) - the highest in the country. 

Vermont Business Magazine Health Care and Rehabilitation Services (HCRS), southeastern Vermont’s non-profit community mental-health agency, is pleased to announce the promotion of Dr. Paul Boutin to Chief Medical Officer (CMO). This milestone reflects HCRS’s commitment to enhancing access to high-quality medical and mental health care for people and families across southeastern Vermont. Dr. Boutin has been a vital member of HCRS since 2013, bringing his expertise and compassionate approach to his work with children and adolescents at the Brattleboro and Springfield offices. In his role as Medical Director, he oversaw the agency’s Medical Division, which includes psychiatrists, nurses, and medical assistants. Beyond this, Dr. Boutin has been a trusted advisor on agency policies, ensuring alignment with best practices and the highest standards of care.