Martin County advances maternity center plan
The Martin County Board of County Commissioners voted May 19 to lease county-owned land on Southeast Tower Drive in Stuart for the proposed Treasure Coast Maternity Center, advancing plans to restore local maternity services after the 2025 closure of Cleveland Clinic Martin North Hospital’s labor and delivery unit.
The board approved a 25-year ground lease at $1 a year. The proposed center would be a 15,000-square-foot facility designed for up to 500 births a year and focused on low-risk pregnancies, with physician oversight, emergency transfer protocols and regional partnerships for higher-acuity care.
Planned services include prenatal, labor and delivery, postpartum and lactation care, along with mental health support, doula services and Medicaid navigation. Martin County Healthy Start said its MOM Mobile has served 26 mothers since September and supported six full-term deliveries.
The initiative has secured $1 million in state appropriations and is seeking about $8 million in total funding through public, private and philanthropic sources. The county vote allows the project to move into site planning, feasibility work, due diligence and regulatory review.
“This vote lets us move into due diligence and planning to bring maternity care back to Martin County,” said Samantha Suffich, CEO of the Martin County Healthy Start Coalition.
Supporters said fundraising, design and approvals remain ahead. For information, call Martin County Healthy Start Coalition at 772-463-2888 or visit www.mchealthystart.org.
About the Treasure Coast Maternity Center
Treasure Coast Maternity Center, Inc. is a nonprofit maternal healthcare initiative focused on restoring local access to maternity care in Martin County and the surrounding region through a comprehensive, family-centered model emphasizing safe, accessible, and coordinated care. The proposed freestanding maternity center will integrate prenatal care, labor and delivery, postpartum services, mental health support, community partnerships, and family resources designed to improve outcomes for mothers and babies across the Treasure Coast.
About Martin County Healthy Start Coalition
Martin County Healthy Start Coalition is a nonprofit that provides no-cost education and support services to pregnant women, new mothers and families, with a focus on those at risk for late or no prenatal care.
Part of Florida’s statewide Healthy Start network, the coalition connects families with prenatal care, home visits, breastfeeding support, parenting education, safety resources and community referrals. Its David Cardno Fatherhood Initiative supports fathers with parenting engagement and legal assistance when families are separated.
Programs are voluntary and available at no cost to Florida residents.
For more information about Martin County Healthy Start Coalition and its ongoing programs, visit www.mchealthystart.org, call 772-463-2888 or follow the organization on Facebook.
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