On Wednesday, February 19th, I testified in the House Committee on Appropriations asking for a $40,000 investment in Empty Arms Vermont. Below is my testimony.
I want to thank the committee for their time this afternoon, and for allowing me to share my lived experience of loss and ask for the committee’s consideration for the funding request for Empty Arms Vermont. Did you know that one in four pregnancies ends in loss? Two years ago, during the first month of my first legislative session, I experienced a miscarriage in the women’s bathroom right here at the Statehouse.
It wasn’t until almost a year later that I was introduced to the incredible work of Empty Arms Vermont. This organization provides vital peer support to individuals and families who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth, early infant loss, or pregnancy termination for medical reasons.
Though it is called Empty Arms Vermont, the organization has opened their arms, to Vermont families during their darkest times, offering a wide range of services, including peer support groups, annual remembrance nights, a 5K Run & Walk community event, yoga classes, discussion groups for family and friends, miscarriage support bags, care packages, and weighted teddy bears. Why is this so important?
Individuals who experience pregnancy and early infant loss are at a heightened risk for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) compared to those without prior loss. Untreated PMADs are responsible for an estimated $48 million in societal costs in Vermont alone.
Empty Arms Vermont is requesting $40,000 in funding for each of the next two years—$80,000 in total—to ensure sustainable growth and continued support for those in need. While this funding request did not make it into the Governor’s budget, it was recommended by Commissioner Mark Levin in the 2025 Maternal Mortality Review Panel Report. Stating, “Empty Arms Vermont is currently the only organization providing perinatal loss support... Additional funding would help expand their workforce capacity and extend their reach into more rural areas of the state.”
This organization is filling a gap in the system of care for pregnancy and infant loss across the state, remember, one in four pregnancies end in loss. A need for support has been identified by the Vermont Department of Health, state legislators and Vermont families. This funding request is to ensure financial self-sufficiency and strengthen occupational capacity. Again, I want to thank the committee for their time today and urge you all consider funding for Empty Arms Vermont.
You can learn more about Empty Arms Vermont at https://www.emptyarmsvermont.org.
Comments