Mayor Bowser Announces Funding for Children’s National Hospital to Evaluate Locations for a New Hospital Campus in Washington, DC

(Washington, DC) - Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that the District of Columbia and Children's National Hospital have reached an exclusive one-year agreement to evaluate sites for a new hospital campus within the District. To support this effort, the Mayor has proposed $1 million in her FY26 Supplemental Budget to fund comprehensive site assessments and due diligence.

"Children's National Hospital is a nationally-renowned children's hospital and the District's second largest private employer. DC has been home to Children's National for over 155 years and we aim to find them a new home that will enable them to grow and thrive for the next 100 years," said Mayor Bowser. "With the $1 million in my proposed budget, we will work in partnership with Children's to evaluate potential sites and ensure that high-quality, cutting-edge, accessible care remains available for children and their families right here in Washington, DC."

Children's National has been consistently ranked as one of the nation's top 10 children's hospitals and, last year, cared for more than 75,000 District children and more than 258,000 children total. It is the only Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center in the Washington metropolitan area and one of only 30 children's hospitals in the nation to hold Level 1 Children's Surgery Center designation.

"For 155 years, Children's National Hospital has served children and families in the District and across our region, including approximately 50 years in our current main hospital building," said Michelle Riley-Brown, Chief Executive Officer of Children's National Hospital. "We deeply appreciate Mayor Bowser's support for ensuring that high-quality, cutting-edge, accessible care remains available for children and their families throughout our community as we evaluate how best to meet future real estate needs."

Since 1870, Children's National has provided exceptional care guided by a mission of medical excellence, innovation, and community service. The hospital generates an estimated $3 billion in economic impact for the District each year and employs more than 8,800 people, including over 2,000 District residents.

With the current Michigan Avenue facility aging, the District and Children's National will assess all options - District-owned, federal, and private - that meet the hospital's criteria for a new campus. Key factors in the evaluation will include location, ability to expand over time, transportation access for employees and patients, nearby amenities, and the surrounding community. No final decisions on a site have been made.

The $1 million investment proposed by Mayor Bowser represents a critical first step in a deliberate, thoughtful process to ensure that Children's National continues to provide the greater Washington region with accessible, cutting-edge pediatric care to children and families for generations to come.

Should a suitable site be identified, the District and Children's National would work together to acquire the site for the lowest possible cost.

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