Press Release

Ellis awarded $800k grant to launch midwifery practice at Bellevue

Tuesday, May 5, 2026

Mother Cabrini Health Foundation investment supports a more connected, patient-centered approach to care for families

 

NISKAYUNA, N.Y. — The Foundation for Ellis Medicine has been awarded an $800,000 grant from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation to enhance maternal health services through the establishment of a midwifery practice at Bellevue Woman’s Center.

This transformative investment will enable Ellis to significantly expand access to high-quality, equitable maternal care across the region, while directly addressing long-standing unmet needs among women and families in Schenectady and surrounding communities. Midwifery care offers families a compassionate, modern, and evidence-based option that complements a fully supported clinical care team that emphasizes choice, education, and individualized support.

Bellevue Woman’s Center, part of Ellis Medicine and the region’s only standalone women’s health facility, has long been recognized for its personalized, family-centered approach to childbirth. Bellevue offers 24/7 on-site OB hospitalists, anesthesia, and NICU support, ensuring safe, high-quality care through a coordinated, team-based approach to delivery.

With the addition of a midwifery practice, Ellis aims to continue to strengthen care for families by creating a more coordinated, connected model that ensures women receive comprehensive gynecologic and prenatal care, with seamless, continuous support from pregnancy through postpartum.

As the number of community OB/GYN providers declines, many patients face challenges accessing consistent care. Establishing a midwifery practice is an important step in meeting this growing need in our region.

“Our community continues to benefit greatly from the generosity of the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation,” said Jackie Montgomery, Chief Nursing Officer at Ellis Medicine. “Establishing this practice at Bellevue will expand access to care, support earlier and more consistent prenatal engagement, and strengthen continuity throughout pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum recovery.”

Chris Jordan, Chief Operating Officer of Ellis Medicine, added: “The addition of a midwifery practice builds on Bellevue’s strong track record of safe, high-quality outcomes, including C-section rates well below state and national averages, while preserving its distinctive experience of welcoming newborns in a setting devoted exclusively to women and babies.”

“We are deeply grateful for this support from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation,” Jordan noted, “and excited to bring the vision of a midwifery practice to life at Bellevue.”

Studies show that midwives enhance care by introducing evidence-based practices that are often better aligned with the needs and preferences of diverse communities. In addition to improving access, the practice will provide a seamless and responsive level of care in a supportive environment, especially for women who face challenges navigating fragmented systems. This initiative represents a meaningful step toward reducing maternal health disparities and ensuring more women have access to safe, respectful, and high-quality care close to home.

The midwifery practice is planned to begin seeing patients in the fall of 2026.

Ellis Medicine is deeply grateful to the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation for its continued commitment to advancing health equity and improving outcomes for families throughout New York State.

 

ABOUT MOTHER CABRINI HEALTH FOUNDATION

The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the health and well-being of New Yorkers, bolster the health outcomes of vulnerable communities, eliminate barriers to care, and bridge gaps in health services. Named after a tireless advocate for immigrants, children and the poor, the Foundation funds programs and initiatives across New York State, including many that reflect a variety of religions and faiths. The grantees provide either direct healthcare services or address the social determinants of health. For more information, visit www.cabrinihealth.org/.

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