Midwifery Today Community

Hello all,

I know there are a few NY midwive/aspiring NY midwives s here on the forums.  I've contacted my midwives to ask this question, but they're really busy and I hate to keep bugging them on a non-urgent issue like this, so I thought I'd put this out there.  If anyone has the time and current info, I'd be so appreciative. 

What does it take to become licensed in the state of NY as a direct entry midwife?  I've looked at the Citizens for Midwifery, but the one thing my midwife did tell me was that they are "very wrong" in their statement of the requirements.  This is the link for the info on the website:

http://cfmidwifery.org/states/states.aspx?ST=NY

Another NY issue is that all licensed midwives have to obtain a written practice agreement with a physician.  This makes it really difficult/impossible for many midwives to practice legally.  Recently, great strides have been made to do away with this requirement and there are two bills that are currently in the Higher Education Committee waiting for evaluation.  If you are in NY and haven't already, you can go here:

http://www.nysalm.org/mma.htm

You can find your senators and assembly members at links on this page in order to send emails/letters voicing your support. I did it and it was quick and easy since they have a pre-written letter that you can copy and paste if preferred.  You can always call your senators and assembly members as well.

Thanks,

Just received this email that might be relevant to your pursuits:

We need your help!    At midnight tomorrow, April 30th, the majority of New York City's home birth midwives will no longer be able to practice legally.  Unless immediate action is taken by the Governor and the NYS Department of Health the women that these midwives serve will be denied access to a home birth with their chosen provider and these providers will no longer be able to practice legally in NYS.   YOU MUST ACT NOW to save the home birth option for New York Women: Call: 311 Wendy Saunders, Executive Deputy Commissioner for the NY State Department of Health, appointed by Governor Paterson. 518-474-8390 Larry Mokhiber, he Secretary of the Board of Midwifery (518-474-3817, extension 130) And say.... With the closing of St. Vincent's Hospital, half of the licensed, highly trained home birth midwives serving NYC have lost their Written Practice Agreement (WPA).   St Vincent's was the only Hospital in the city supportive of a woman's right to choose a home birth and willing to sign a WPA.  In the weeks since it's announced closure, these midwives have reached out to hospitals and obstetricians all across the city looking for support, with no success.  Please help us to save the homebirth option in New York.    People can also email the Governor at http://www.state. ny.us/governor/ contact/Governor ContactForm. php.

Please Join us! We need your help.   Photo borrowed from the Photography Project through the Free our Midwives Site. Click here for more information, more photos, and to learn how to submit your own photos to this great project.

We are in our final hours! Please forward this email and help us flood 311 and the Governor's office with calls supporting home birth. And while you're at it, please sign our petition supporting the Midwifery Modernization Act which will remove the WPA from the midwifery law effectively removing this barrier to accessing midwifery care. http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/midwifery/ See NYSALM's fact sheet about what the Midwifery Modernization Act Means for You.

I have a friend involved in the politics of midwifery in NY.  As far as I know, DEM's cannot be licensed in NY.  It was a big deal here for several CPM's to be licensed.  I'm involved in the education of some CPM students (as is my friend).  I'm told that the last few CPM student's who applied for licenses were all denied for various reasons.  I heard something about NY requiring a Master's Degree for licensure soon.  It is very difficult to get licensure here and getting harder.  Joyce 

Philadelphia University is offering a MS in Midwifery that's fully distance except one week during the entire 2 year program.

Contact Dana Perlman CNM, MSN 215 951 2527

Thanks for the info.  I talked to my midwife, finally, and the laws are changing in NYS again.  They will be requiring a Master's degree in midwifery, either CNM or CM.  Doing the pep process to get a CPM and going through National College of Midwifery for a Master's in Midwifery would work, however some most midwives here who have gone that route and applied for licensure lately are being denied because they did their apprenticeship in NYS which is illegal.  Another option would be to get an apprenticeship in a neighboring state or go away for a couple of months to a high volume birth center in the Texas or NM.  It stinks that it so tricky here.  Everything is difficult here, even homeschooling.  :-P 

Sorry for the complaining.  :-)

Anyway, I've settled a little bit and am devoted again to rearing and educating my children and keeping my home and garden.  Midwifery is my dream somehow, but its not a realistic one right now.  My children need me so much.  And I don't need to add anything to my very full plate at the moment.  My stress level has been really high.

The Midwifery Modernization Act passed in the NY Assembly and Senate on June 30th.  This is a huge hurdle.  It means that licensed midwives practicing in NY no longer have to obtain a written practice agreement with a physician in order to practice.  Its great all around!!

http://www.nysalm.org/

Details above.

 AWESOME!!

Thanks for sharing

Governor Paterson signed this into law on July 30th.  NY midwives are just a bit free-er now.  If only we could revise the educational laws now...