Congratulations to Iowa and Virginia!
On June 1, 2023 the legislation to license midwives went into effect in Iowa!
This bill offers licensure to CPMs and establishes a regulatory board for midwives in Iowa. CPMs who apply for licensure after July 1, 2024 must have a MEAC education or a Midwifery Bridge Certificate. There are exemptions made for midwives who are “a member of a Native American, Mennonite, or Amish community who provides traditional midwife services to such a community.” As well as midwives who “in good faith, engages in the practice of the religious tenets of a church or a religious act if no fee is contemplated, charged, or received.”
This makes Iowa the 38th state to enact licensure for direct-entry midwives.
In January 2023, SB1275 was introduced to the Virginia State Senate and was enacted March 26, 2023. This allows licensed midwives to obtain, possess, and administer drugs and devices within the scope of their practice. This is another win for midwives to practice more fully within the scope of their training, but more importantly to meet the needs of families who birth in community settings.
Updated Community-Based NRP Instructor Directory!
In May 2023, NARM created an online directory of community-based NRP instructors for CPMs and students. Recently, it was updated to include course location. The directory is available here.
eBlast emailed July 27, 2023