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The Illinois Midwifery Initiative |
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The Illinois Midwifery Initiative:
Increasing Access to Out-of-Hospital Maternity Care Services through state regulation of Certified Professional Midwives
MISSION
The Coalition for Illinois Midwifery seeks to ensure the availability of safe, licensed direct-entry midwifery services for families in the state of Illinois. We support the Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) credential as a basis for licensure. Through partnerships, collaboration, public education, and legislative and judicial actions that promote the Midwives Model of Care, we support the rights of Illinois families to access this evidence-based maternity care option.
PREAMBLE
WHEREAS the Constitution of the State of Illinois provides for "the health, safety and welfare of the people" and the “opportunity for the fullest development of the individual;”
WHEREAS in 2002, Illinois Department of Public Health Vital Statistics documented 738 Illinois births without a trained birth attendant (neither a medical person nor a midwife);*
WHEREAS childbirth is a normal, healthy event for the majority of women, and includes important emotional and social components not usually addressed by hospital-based maternity care;
WHEREAS each woman and family is unique and deserves the maternity care provider and setting that best addresses individual needs and preferences;
WHEREAS the American Public Health Association supports efforts to increase access to out-of-hospital maternity care services and increase the range of quality maternity care choices available to consumers, through recognition that legally-regulated and nationally certified direct-entry midwives can serve clients desiring safe, planned, out-of-hospital maternity care services;1
WHEREAS Certified Professional Midwives are nationally-certified providers of out-of-hospital maternity care services;
WHEREAS Certified Professional Midwives are licensed in 22 states;*
WHEREAS childbirth professionals in Illinois are currently exploring options for opening a direct-entry midwifery education program, accredited by an agency of the US Department of Education, to train out-of-hospital birth providers;
THEREFORE, we the undersigned members of the Coalition for Illinois Midwifery support and acknowledge the following:
The interest of the State of Illinois in the health care of its citizens;
The right of the State of Illinois to regulate licensed professionals;
The right of parents to receive qualified care from a well-trained professional;
The right of families to choose safe alternatives to hospital birth including free-standing birth centers and homebirth;
The proven safety of direct-entry midwife-attended birth;
The right of parents to choose a direct-entry midwife to provide care during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum;
The right of direct-entry midwives to practice without unwarranted governmental harassment;
The Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) credential as a mechanism to ensure entry-level competence of direct-entry midwives;
The implementation of legislation providing for direct-entry midwife licensure, using the CPM credential as a basis for licensure requirements in Illinois.
* Statistics updated periodically
[1] American Public Health Association Position Paper 2001-3: Guidelines for Licensing and Regulating Birth Centers. APHA Public Policy Statements, 1948 to present, cumulative. Washington, D.C.
Attachment: "Increasing Access To Out-Of-Hospital Maternity Care Services Through State-Regulated and Nationally-Certified Direct-Entry Midwives," American Public Health Association Position Paper 2001-3: Guidelines for Licensing and Regulating Birth Centers. APHA Public Policy Statements, 1948 to present, cumulative. Washington, D.C.
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IL Midwifery Initiative
