Vassar Health Connecticut Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It owes more than it owns.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF EVERY PERSON IN OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH THE EFFICIENT DELIVERY OF EXCELLENT, INNOVATIVE AND COMPASSIONATE CARE.
- Income
- $57.2 million
- Spending
- $73.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 88%
- Reserves
- -19.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 98%
- Employees
- 355
- Volunteers
- 41
- Highest pay
- $5.9 million, president/ceo of northwell; director (from 05/25)
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 30 out of 100. Higher than 6% of charities in its peer group (health care, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 310% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 29% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 8% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1588% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 88 out of 100. Higher than 28% of charities in its peer group (health care, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2518 of 23 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $65.1 million spent. SHARON HOSPITAL IS A 78-BED ACUTE CARE HOSPITAL LOCATED IN NORTHWESTERN CONNECTICUT, SERVING A LARGELY RURAL POPULATION. THE HOSPITAL IS COMMITTED TO DELIVERING HIGH-QUALITY, PATIENT-CENTERED, AND MISSION-DRIVEN CARE TO THE COMMUNITIES IT SERVES. SHARON HOSPITAL IS PART OF NUVANCE HEALTH, WHICH IN MAY 2025 JOINED NORTHWELL HEALTH, CREATING AN EXPANDED INTEGRATED HEALTH SYSTEM THAT ENHANCES ACCESS TO COORDINATED, HIGH-QUALITY CARE ACROSS NEW YORK'S HUDSON VALLEY AND WESTERN CONNECTICUT. AS PART OF NORTHWELL HEALTH, NEW YORK'S LARGEST HEALTH SYSTEM, PATIENTS BENEFIT FROM EXPANDED CLINICAL COORDINATION, ENHANCED SPECIALTY EXPERTISE, AND ACCESS TO SYSTEM-WIDE BEST PRACTICES, WHILE MAINTAINING A STRONG FOCUS ON COMMUNITY-BASED CARE. THROUGH ITS INTEGRATED SYSTEM, SHARON HOSPITAL OFFERS A COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF SERVICES, INCLUDING BARIATRIC SURGERY AND MEDICAL WEIGHT LOSS, CRITICAL CARE, DIABETES EDUCATION, EMERGENCY SERVICES, HEART AND VASCULAR CARE, IMAGING AND RADIOLOGY, INFUSION THERAPY, NEUROLOGY AND NEUROSURGERY, ORTHOPEDIC CARE, PHYSICAL REHABILITATION, PRIMARY CARE, RHEUMATOLOGY, SLEEP MEDICINE, URGENT CARE, WOMEN'S HEALTH, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, CANCER CARE, DENTISTRY, DIGESTIVE HEALTH, ENDOCRINOLOGY, GENETIC COUNSELING, HOME HEALTH SERVICES, INFECTIOUS DISEASE CARE, NEPHROLOGY, OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE, PATIENT BLOOD MANAGEMENT, PEDIATRICS, PODIATRY, PULMONARY CARE, GERIATRIC CARE, SURGICAL SERVICES, UROLOGY, AND WOUND CARE AND HYPERBARIC MEDICINE. SHARON HOSPITAL PROVIDES A RANGE OF ESSENTIAL CLINICAL SERVICES, INCLUDING CARDIOLOGY, EMERGENCY CARE, NEUROSCIENCES, ORTHOPEDIC SERVICES, STROKE CARE, SURGICAL SERVICES, WOMEN'S HEALTH, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, WOUND CARE, AND ADVANCED THERAPY SERVICES, ENSURING ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY CARE CLOSE TO HOME FOR THE RURAL COMMUNITIES IT SERVES. SHARON HOSPITAL MAINTAINS A STRONG COMMITMENT TO CLINICAL QUALITY AND PATIENT SAFETY AND HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED BY SEVERAL NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS. THE HOSPITAL HAS RECEIVED A FIVE-STAR QUALITY RATING FROM THE CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES (CMS) FOR MULTIPLE CONSECUTIVE YEARS AND HAS EARNED AN "A" HOSPITAL SAFETY GRADE FROM THE LEAPFROG GROUP. THE HOSPITAL HAS ALSO RECEIVED THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION'S GET WITH THE GUIDELINES STROKE GOLD PLUS AWARD (RURAL) AND HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED BY U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT AS "HIGH PERFORMING" IN MATERNITY CARE. IN ADDITION, SHARON HOSPITAL RECEIVED A HEALTHGRADES PATIENT SAFETY EXCELLENCE AWARD, PLACING IT AMONG THE TOP HOSPITALS NATIONWIDE FOR PATIENT SAFETY. SHARON HOSPITAL IS ALSO DESIGNATED AS AN AGE-FRIENDLY HEALTH SYSTEM PARTICIPANT THROUGH THE INSTITUTE FOR HEALTHCARE IMPROVEMENT. THESE RECOGNITIONS REFLECT THE HOSPITAL'S COMMITMENT TO QUALITY IMPROVEMENT, PATIENT SAFETY, AND EVIDENCE-BASED CARE DELIVERY. SHARON HOSPITAL CONDUCTS A COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT (CHNA) EVERY THREE YEARS TO IDENTIFY THE HEALTH NEEDS, BARRIERS, AND PRIORITIES OF THE COMMUNITIES IT SERVES. THE FINDINGS INFORM THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN (CHIP), WHICH OUTLINES TARGETED STRATEGIES AND MEASURABLE ACTIONS TO ADDRESS IDENTIFIED NEEDS. BASED ON THE MOST RECENT CHNA, SHARON HOSPITAL FOCUSED ITS COMMUNITY BENEFIT ACTIVITIES ON TWO PRIORITY AREAS: PREVENTING CHRONIC DISEASE AND ADDRESSING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS. IN SUPPORT OF CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION, SHARON HOSPITAL HAS PRIORITIZED NUTRITION AND COMMUNITY-BASED EDUCATION INITIATIVES. THE HOSPITAL CONTINUES ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LIONS CLUB THROUGH THE LET'S IMPROVE OUR NUTRITION (LION) PROGRAM, PROVIDING HEALTHY EATING EDUCATION AND FOOD TASTINGS IN LOCAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. IN ADDITION, SHARON HOSPITAL IMPLEMENTED A SENIOR MEALS PROGRAM IN 2024, PROVIDING ONGOING ACCESS TO DISCOUNTED MEALS FOR SENIORS IN THE COMMUNITY. TO ADDRESS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE NEEDS, SHARON HOSPITAL SUPPORTS MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID, A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED, EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAM THAT TEACHES PARTICIPANTS TO RECOGNIZE AND RESPOND TO SIGNS OF MENTAL ILLNESS AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS. THIS TRAINING IS AVAILABLE ACROSS HOSPITAL COMMUNITIES IN BOTH CONNECTICUT AND NEW YORK, EXPANDING ACCESS TO THIS CRITICAL RESOURCE. THE HOSPITAL ALSO PROMOTES REFERRALS FROM THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT TO PEER RECOVERY SPECIALISTS THROUGH CONNECTICUT COMMUNITY FOR ADDICTION RECOVERY (CCAR), IMPROVING ACCESS TO ONGOING RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES. ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY BENEFIT INITIATIVES INCLUDE TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE, FITNESS AND WELLNESS PROGRAMMING, HEALTH-RELATED SOCIAL NEEDS SCREENINGS, DISTRIBUTION OF NALOXONE (NARCAN) AND FENTANYL TEST STRIPS, AND DIAPER DISTRIBUTION PROGRAMS. SHARON HOSPITAL ALSO PROVIDES COMMUNITY EDUCATION ON TOPICS SUCH AS HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BEHAVIORS, STROKE PREVENTION, CANCER SCREENING, SMOKING CESSATION, CHRONIC DISEASE SELF-MANAGEMENT, AND STRESS MANAGEMENT, OFTEN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, SCHOOLS, AND SENIOR CENTERS. STAFF FURTHER CONTRIBUTE TO COMMUNITY HEALTH THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN LOCAL COALITIONS, TASK FORCES, AND VOLUNTEER INITIATIVES. THESE INITIATIVES ARE DESIGNED TO ADDRESS IDENTIFIED COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS, REDUCE BARRIERS TO CARE, AND IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES, PARTICULARLY AMONG VULNERABLE AND UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS. IN FY25, SHARON HOSPITAL HAD 8,626 PATIENT DAYS AND 1,588 DISCHARES IN ACUTE CARE. THERE WERE 11,908 IN EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS AND 48,279 IN OTHER OUTPATIENT VISITS/PROCEDURES. THE HOSPITAL PROVIDED APPROXIMATELY $3M IN CHARITY CARE TO THE REGIONS UN-INSURED AND UNDER-INSURED POPULATION.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since February 2019.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.