News

Like other hospitals in Vermont, Grace Cottage has had to make meaningful changes to ensure that our finances remain stable. We’ve made strides in efficiency in every department, and I am proud of our staff for the teamwork required to make these improvements. While we continue this important work, we want you to know that our commitment to our patients is unwavering. We remain focused on caring for our community and will continue to do our utmost to help you achieve the best health possible.

We are excited to announce that, because of our strong performance in fiscal year 2025, we were awarded a waiver from the Green Mountain Care Board, which means that we did not need to attend a hearing to defend our fiscal year 2026 budget, and our budget was accepted as proposed. While there may still be some broad requirements from the Green Mountain Care Board for all hospitals in September, this is exciting news for us. No more unanticipated cuts or struggles to cut services or staff that we know are desperately needed for our community. We are incredibly proud of every department leader and our finance team, who executed difficult plans to make the financial turnaround that we needed in fiscal year 2025.

Our work in efficiency has resulted in openings for new patients in primary care, pediatrics, and behavioral health, including counseling and psychiatric medicine, and improved access to appointments. Please call 802-365-4331 if you are looking for a new provider — we would love to have you! And as a reminder, we have a full-service 24/7 emergency room with top-notch staff who are there whenever you need us.

Grace Cottage has again swept the Brattleboro Reformer’s Readers’ Choice Awards! Thank you to all who voted for Grace Cottage as the Best Hospital, Best Emergency Care, Best Physical Therapy, Best Pharmacy (Messenger Valley Pharmacy), Best Doctor (Dr. Moss Linder, followed by Dr. Tim Shafer as a close second!). Although she is no longer seeing pediatric patients, it’s clear that many readers are still devoted to Dr. Elizabeth Linder, and voted her Best Pediatrician. The last category won is especially gratifying: Best Place to Work.

All proceeds of Hospital Fair Day will go toward the long-held dream of a new primary care clinic building at Grace Cottage. Over the past several weeks, we have submitted our responses to the questions and comments we received during the public comment period for our Act 250 permit, and expect it to be issued very soon! We’ve raised over $14 million for this transformational project to date. Your generous support of Fair Day gave us a boost! You can find out more about the project on our website at gracecottage.org/future.

Please plan to join us on Tuesday, September 30 at American Flatbread in West Dover. These generous folks are hosting a Benefit Bake, donating a portion of all the pizza sales of the evening to Grace Cottage. We’ll have a raffle and enjoy live music. Fun for all pizza lovers (even gluten-free ones!) Can’t stay? Carry-out orders count, too! Please join us! For a menu and directions to American Flat, CLICK HERE

Grace Cottage Family Health has welcomed Susan Kinnersley, MSW, LICSW, to our mental health team. Kinnersley is counseling patients ages 14 and older. She comes to Grace Cottage after running her own private practice in Brattleboro, where she offered psychotherapy and EMDR to address the issues of ADD, depression, anxiety, trauma, family and relationship problems, grief and loss, life transitions, personal growth, and chronic pain. “We all know life can be challenging. Depression, anxiety, chronic pain, and negative past experiences can all get in the way of being the person you want to be and having the relationships you want and deserve. For over 20 years, I have enjoyed helping people attain their goals in therapy and enjoy more satisfying lives.”

Come visit Grace Cottage’s booth at the Community Health & Wellness Fair on Saturday, October 4, 2025, from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm at Brattleboro Union High School! Grace Cottage staff will be on hand to answer questions about our providers and services. There will be fun activities and delicious food for purchase from local food trucks.