Yesterday, December, 4, CAM leadership, including President Constance Rock and Vice President Rosanna Davis, a number of CAM regional reps from across the state, as well as, individual CAM members represented Licensed Midwives at the Midwifery Advisory Council (MAC) meeting. 

The meeting was brief and consisted mostly of updates from MAC and Medical Board staff. Here are highlights and next steps:

Streamlined CNM to LM Process Not A Regulatory Issue
Recently, the Medical Board was asked to consider a regulatory change that would allow a streamlined process for Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) in California to become Licensed Midwives. This issue has become increasingly significant for CNMs as they are still required to document physician supervision.

Medical Board Chief of Legislation Jennifer Simoes reported today that the Medical Board does not see streamlining as a regulatory issue to be initiated by the board. They encouraged CNMs to continue to find a legislative solution. The Medical Board will not be seeking a sponsor for this type of legislation.

Update on Midwife Assistant Legislation

Jennifer Simoes also reported on efforts to craft a bill that will define the role of the midwife assistant, with the goal of providing legal protection for both the midwife and the midwife assistant. (Note that this bill will not create licensure, certification, or registration of midwife assistants.)

The Medical Board has brought language to two separate committees and are in the process now of developing the strategy most likely to get passage in this session.

This legislative effort was spearheaded by CAM, who drafted the initial language for the bill.
 

Update on Regulatory Changes 
The regulatory changes happening as the result of AB1308 were also discussed briefly in today's meeting, primarily in the form of updates from the last Interested Parties meeting and the CAM/ACOG meeting.

The Medical Board staff remains hopeful that stakeholder compromise will be achieved. The next step in the process is the upcoming Interested Parties meeting. We will need your support at this meeting!

Please see the information about the CAM General Meeting below - we will be attending the Interested Parties Meeting directly after the gathering.

You Tube Videos (recorded, rendered and uploaded by Rosanna) of the Meeting can be viewed here.

Also, check back on the Medical Board Website in the coming days for the official recording of the live streaming webcast.

Support materials handed out at the meeting:

Regulations Packet

Agenda and Supporting Materials

LM CNM comparison summary for incoming Medical Board Members