CPM in Politics

Legislation to Fund Midwifery Education Introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives

Congresswomen Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) and Jamie Herrera Beutler (R-WA), Co-Founders and Co-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Maternity Care, introduced the Midwives for Maximizing Optimal Maternity Services Act (H.R. 3849) on May 19, 2019.  The Midwives for MOMS Act authorizes new federal funding for midwifery education within Title VII and Title VIII of the Public Health Service Act. This bill addresses the growing birth care provider shortage by increasing the number of midwives available to families in our country today.  In addition, the bill addresses the significant lack of racial and ethnic representation in the birth care workforce by focusing resources on schools and programs that prioritize students who plan to practice in health professional shortage areas and that focus on increasing racial and ethnic representation in midwifery education and the workforce.  

NACPM is invested  in a strong, racially, ethnically and socially representativeCPM workforce to meet the urgent needs of childbearing people.  We join the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) and midwives everywhere in applauding the Congresswomen for their leadership in addressing the underlying causes of poor birth outcomes in the U.S. by elevating midwifery care, and thank them for the opportunity to consult on the development of this important legislation.  

 

The Midwives for MOMS Act authorizes the      first-ever federal funding program that will support the education of CPMs:  $15,000,000 for fiscal years 2021-2025.  This funding will apply to CPM and Certified Midwife (CM) schools that are accredited by MEAC or ACME.  (The Act authorizes a corresponding $20,000,000 for nurse-midwifery education in Title VIII.) Grants from this funding can be used for these purposes:

• Establish or expand CPM and CM accredited midwifery schools and programs
• Secure, prepare and/or provide support to increase the number of qualified preceptors for training the students of an accredited CPM or CM midwifery school or program
• Provide direct support for CPM and CM students (stipends/tuition reimbursement) including minority students, in an accredited midwifery school or program

Call Your Legislators Today

Now the work begins - and your help is needed!  

Please reach out to your Congress member today and urge them to support H.R. 3849, the Midwives for MOMS Act of 2019.  

• Find your Representative here
• Click here for specific support in navigating to your Representative's contact information and making your call
• Let us know if we can be of any assistance to you!  
• Please let NACPM know of any response you receive from your Representative as a result your call - positive or negative - by writing to us at info@nacpm.org or calling us at 603-358-3322.  
• Make a visit to your Representative's District office.  Congress is in recess in Washington, D.C. during the month of August, and August is a great month to visit the office in your District to urge support for the Midwives for MOMS Act!  Call today for an appointment.  
• Print and take this one-page advocacy sheet with you to the District Office visit
• Thank you!