Current News

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) on Monday joined Amtrak and members of the community for a groundbreaking ceremony to inaugurate the start of construction for platform upgrades and improvements to the new Brattleboro Station, which will include the state’s first ever level, accessible, high-level platform. The new Brattleboro Station will be home to Vermont’s first level platform. It will have a new electric snow melt system, lighting, railings, detectable warning edge and signage. In addition, there will be two ramps and two sets of stairs leading from the parking level up to the new platform. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Human Services’ Department of Mental Health (DMH), in collaboration with the Department of Health (VDH), the VDH Division of Substance Use (DSU), and the Blueprint for Health, proudly announces Vermont’s selection as one of 10 states to join the CCBHC Medicaid Demonstration Program. Vermont's success in developing state-level infrastructure and collaborating with providers to meet CCBHC standards led to this selection. Vermont has chosen to name its program “Certified Community-Based Integrated Health Centers” (CCBHC). Vermont's designation as a CCBHC Demonstration State provides access to additional Medicaid funding supporting CCBHC services.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Federal Credit Union (VFCU) has partnered with Sleep in Heavenly Peace for the second consecutive year to sponsor and host a volunteer “bed build” day dedicated to building beds for children in need. The event is part of Vermont Federal’s ongoing commitment to supporting the local community and ensuring that every child has a safe and comfortable place to sleep. Sleep in Heavenly Peace is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing beds to children who do not have one. Founded in Idaho in 2012, Sleep in Heavenly Peace has since grown into a nationwide movement, with over 270 chapters across the country, including in Vermont. The organization relies on volunteers and donations to build and deliver beds to families in need, making a meaningful impact on the lives of children and families in local communities.

Vermont Business Magazine Copley Hospital held its annual Stowe Art, Wine & Food fundraiser on Thursday, June 6 at JCOGS (Jewish Community of Greater Stowe), and the event was a success on all counts. Over 160 guests, staff, and volunteers joined to celebrate and support Copley Hospital. With sponsorships, ticket sales, live and silent auctions, and the famous wine pull, over $69,000 in gross revenue was raised. The Stowe Art, Wine & Food fundraiser is one of three Copley events this year raising funds to purchase bedside monitors for Copley’s Emergency Department. Emergency Department (ED) providers monitor patient vital signs such as their heart rate, blood oxygen, blood pressure, and respiratory rate in real time using bedside monitors. 

by Mike Del Trecco, CEO, VAHHS As I have mentioned on more than one occasion, here in this column and through my public comment to the GMCB, Vermont’s non-profit hospitals evaluate policies and ideas through the lens of the following principles: equitable access to high-quality care; stabilization for hospitals; promotion of a strong care ecosystem outside the hospital, and predictability. We do this to ensure that positions we take always center our patients and promote vibrant communities. We also do this to protect against decisions that are politically or socially motivated and offer only short-term return with long-term consequences.

Vermont Business Magazine Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), announced today that Novo Nordisk CEO Lars Jørgensen will be testifying before the committee on Tuesday, September 24 at 10 a.m. ET. The hearing will focus on the outrageously high prices that Novo Nordisk charges Americans for their blockbuster drugs, Ozempic and Wegovy.  

Vermont Business Magazine Postpartum Support International (PSI), and local providers Community Care Network, Vermont Department of Health, Wonderfeet Kids’ Museum, Rutland County Head Start and the Behavioral Health and Women’s Health Departments of Rutland Regional Medical Center, are teaming up to host the annual Rutland Climb for Perinatal Mental Health on Saturday, June 29, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Pittsford Recreation Area in Pittsford. This event aims to raise awareness and funds to support the mental health of new families and survivors of perinatal mental health struggles. Parenthood is a journey filled with joys and challenges, but for some, the transition to parenthood can be overwhelming, leading to perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. In Vermont, these disorders affect 1 in 4 parents, highlighting the urgent need for awareness and support.

Vermont Business Magazine UVM Health Network – Central Vermont Medical Center has added metal detectors at its Emergency Department (ED) entrance and launched a clear bag policy for all visitors entering the Emergency Department as it continues to invest in a top priority – the safety and security of staff and patients and an environment that allows for the delivery of high-quality care. The security upgrades are being implemented to address ongoing safety concerns, and a well-documented, nationwide increase in violence against health care workers. In recent years, security officers at CVMC have confiscated knives, firearms, pepper spray and other items inappropriate for a health care setting.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine For the week ending June 19, the Vermont Department of Health reported that there was one COVID-19 related death last week, for 1,156 since the beginning of the pandemic over four years ago. The weekly report also shows that hospitalizations and general "syndromic" cases remain very low, just under five people are being treated at a Vermont hospital each week, which has been the case since late March. The number of COVID cases is unchanged from last week at 51. 

Vermont Business Magazine After three months of intense focus, camaraderie and both virtual and in-person learning, The DeltaClimeVT Energy 2024 climate economy business accelerator announces Rock Rabbit as the peer-selected winner. Among other awardees was ElecGrid, which is a startup based in Newport, Vermont, that is helping electric utilities to more efficiently manage resources in their day-to-day field maintenance of infrastructure and when responding to disasters that impact the electrical grid. Fifteen entrepreneurs from eight start-ups focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions by enabling the acceleration of electrification graduated from the DeltaClimeVT Energy 2024 climate economy business accelerator during an awards ceremony June 13. At the event, each company presented their final pitch and shared their plans to scale their start-up companies. 

Vermont Business Magazine State Treasurer Mike Pieciak announced today that Vermont’s credit ratings were affirmed by the major credit rating agencies, S&P Global Ratings (AA+), Fitch Ratings (AA+), and Moody’s (Aa1). Leveraging this fiscal strength, Pieciak and his office successfully refinanced outstanding higher-interest bonds, resulting in savings of approximately $3.7 million. The ratings reaffirmed that Vermont’s financial outlook is stable, as the state earned the second highest ratings that an entity can receive. The ratings will ensure that borrowing costs for state projects remain modest, reducing costs to Vermont taxpayers. After receiving the updated credit ratings, the state issued two sets of bonds, including over $70 million of Series A bonds which generated over $77 million for new capital projects. Over $36 million of Series B bonds were also issued to refinance bonds from 2014. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Agency of Human Services (AHS) announced today the appointment of Brendan Krause as the new Director of Health Care Reform. Krause brings a wealth of experience in health systems and policy, with a distinguished career spanning government roles and health technology. Most recently, Brendan served as Head of International for Health at Uber, where he worked directly with global health systems to eliminate transportation barriers to health care access. Prior to his role at Uber, he spent 12 years at Optum, collaborating with the United Kingdom’s National Health Service to enhance population health management.