What was supposed to be a calm, low-intervention space for births on Chicago’s North Side has instead turned into a scramble, after the Birth Center of Chicago abruptly stopped providing clinical services. Former employees say they got little or no warning before operations ceased, and several report they have not been paid in weeks as they rush to find new jobs and help patients secure other prenatal and delivery options.
According to former staff members, they were laid off last week and have not seen a paycheck in nearly a month. One educator said calls and emails to leadership have gone unanswered. “Everything is just mute,” Tanesha Gunn told reporters, in comments reported by FOX 32 Chicago.
On its website, the center now states that it “is not currently accepting patients or providing clinical care due to an unexpected lapse in malpractice insurance coverage required for state licensure.” The notice adds that families currently receiving care are being supported with referrals and records assistance, according to the statement on the Birth Center of Chicago site.
Other centers across the chain have closed
The fallout is not limited to Chicago. The Burr Ridge Birth Center website lists that suburban location as permanently closed, and the Indiana center’s site similarly flags its Indianapolis outpost as closed. Former workers say the pattern points to broader financial problems at Birth Partners, the private company that operates the centers, according to information posted by the Indiana Birth Center.
Leadership and licensing questions
Birth Partners identifies Dr. Dele Ogunleye as the group’s founder and CEO on its own site, Birth Partners, Inc. At the same time, public records reviewed by FOX 32 Chicago show an Ohio medical license under his name as having expired in March. Reporters say multiple calls and emails seeking comment were not returned.
How workers can seek pay
Employees who believe they are owed wages can file a complaint with the Illinois Department of Labor. The agency has previously pursued back pay in the wake of sudden closures and offers online guidance on how to file wage claims, according to the Illinois Department of Labor.
For now, midwives and other former staff say they want straight answers and payment for work already completed, while patients work quickly to line up alternative care. The silence from leadership has left both workers and families feeling abandoned as they try to sort out what comes next.
