What do California and Delaware have in common? Both states require midwives who attend out-of-hospital births to do so under physician oversight. The difference? Government officials in Delaware decided this year it was time to enforce the physician oversight requirement in their midwifery law. The result? Midwives are being issued cease and desist orders and have been forced to practice underground or not at all, while home birth parents, even those who’ve had accidental home births, are being visited by state investigators demanding to know who their midwives are. Police have escorted other parents during hospital transports. Did you know that SB304 – the Medical Board Sunset Review bill – will take enforcement away from the medical board and give it to Department of Justice instead? The California Medical Board had a special meeting on Tuesday, June 4th to discuss the continued employment of its Executive Director Linda Whitney and the selection of an Acting Executive Director. Linda Whitney had been an ally to Licensed Midwives and she has been removed from her position now. We do not know what will happen with a new Executive Director. Will the new Executive Director of the Medical Board enforce physician supervision? Will the Department of Justice? AB1308 introduced by Susan Bonilla and sponsored by ACOG –as it is- will restate the unobtainable physician supervision requirement. This bill has passed the assembly and is now in the senate. One of ACOG’s national stated legislative priorities is to repeal recognition of and reimbursement to untrained midwives delivering babies in out-of-hospital settings. What state recognizes or reimburses untrained midwives? ACOG is talking about Certified Professional Midwives and Licensed Midwives here. Yes, this is frightening, but this bill still has the potential to remove physician supervision - but only if we exert our power and influence now. The CAM officers have been meeting regularly with the staff of all the assembly members and senators on the business and professions committees to discuss SB304 and AB1308, and educate them about issues effecting licensed midwives, and therefore the families we serve. But the reality is ACOG has far more money and influence than we do. It’s clear now that the only way we’re going to effectively deal with this threat is through a massive grass root effort on the part of midwives and consumers across the state. You have the power to protect your freedom by letting your legislators know that the physician supervision requirement in California’s licensed midwife practice act must go. All it takes is one government official deciding that it’s time to enforce the law as it stands and your ability to practice midwifery in California will be in jeopardy. Do your part today to protect your license and the birthing freedom of California’s families. Don’t let California become the next Delaware! ACTION ALERT 1) Click here to find your senator. We need a flood of calls THIS WEEK. 2) Please call or e-mail your senator today. Ask them to call on Assembly member Bonilla to amend AB1308 to remove the unworkable and unattainable physician supervision requirement for licensed midwives. 3) Send this information and request to all of your clients and midwifery supporters. 4) Swing by the California Families for Access to Midwives Facebook page here and tell them you called or e-mailed. If you get a reply, please share it. Thank you! Constance Rock, LM, CPM President, California Association of Central Indiana Nurse Midwives REPOSTED FROM RENEE HANEVOLD, CNM
Posted on: Thu, 20 Jun 2013 15:26:16 +0000
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