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Update on SB1237 - The Equity & Justice in Maternity Care Act
SB 1237 PASSED Senate Business & Professions Committee on May 18! Huge thanks to everyone who called in to support our bill and wrote letters of support. There were so many that the operator had trouble keeping up with the amount of calls coming in!
We are thrilled to announce that Senator Holly Mitchell has joined as a co-author of SB-1237! Just as we do, the Senator feels strongly that midwifery access is critical to improving outcomes, equity, and access, and that physician supervision removal is a key first step.
We also have two new co-sponsors of our bill: NARAL Pro-Choice California and United Nurse’s Association of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC).
Additionally we have a HUGE coalition of support who wrote letters on our behalf, including: Black Women for Wellness (co-sponsor), California Nurse Midwives Association (co-sponsor), United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (co-sponsor), NARAL Pro-Choice California (co-sponsor), 2020 Mom, Academy of Lactation Policy and Practice INC, American Association of Birth Centers, American Civil Liberties Union/northern California/southern California/san Diego and Imperial Counties, American College of Nurse-midwives, Association of Women's Health and Neonatal Nursing, Beach Cities Midwifery & Women's Health Care, Best Start Birth Center Black Wellness & Prosperity Center, California Association of Nurse Anesthetists (CANA), California Black Women's Health Project, California Latinas for Reproductive Justice, California Women's Law Center, Center on Reproductive Rights and Justice (CRRJ), Citizens for Choice, Every Neighborhood Partnership, Feminist Majority Foundation, Grow Midwives, Healthimpact, Healthy Children Project, INC, If/when/how: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice, Midwives Alliance North America, Momsrising, National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) CA, National Council of Jewish Women Los Angeles, National Health Law Program, New Birth Services, Pacific Business Group on Health, The Praxis Project, Training in Early Abortion for Comprehensive Healthcare, Urge: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity, and Western Center on Law & Poverty, INC.
What’s Next: The bill will be heard in Senate Appropriations today, June 1. We previously sent out an Action Alert for this, and as a reminder you can find constantly updated information on how you can personally support SB 1237 here.
If we make it out of the Senate Appropriations Committee we will need EVERYONE’S support to pass the Senate Floor (which we expect will occur sometime between June 22-26). Action alerts are coming soon.
If you have any questions at all, or concerns, please do not hesitate to email advocacy@cnma.org
Take Action!!
CNMA has a new action alert page on our website (www.cnma.org/today) Go here to stay up to date on the latest on our bill and what you can do to support! We will post here when we need letters of support or calls to legislators!
Annual Meeting Update
Fellow midwives,
After much discussion we have decided our annual meeting is being delayed until March 2021. We'll continue to be in touch regarding specific dates. We all decided that we as a midwifery community will really be needing to connect in person and so decided against any virtual conference.
As an organization in the middle of legislative efforts that would normally have been supported by this meeting, we are strongly encouraging you all to donate whatever you can to support the organization financially through this year. We know things are tight for everyone and want to acknowledge your ongoing support.
We look forward to bringing you a fabulous meeting early next year once it's safer for us to convene and give one another hugs!
Jillian, Heide and Elizabeth - Annual Meeting Planning Committee
Is it time to renew your CNMA Membership?? Have a co-worker who need to join?
Use code is CNMA30, and gives 30% off affiliate dues (new or renewing) until 07/31/20!!! We need your support now more than ever!! https://www.midwife.org/Join-ACNM
Blossom Birth And Family Presents
Inviting birthing families, come learn about the spectrum of safe birthing options that are available to you in the Bay Area!
This free monthly information session will provide an opportunity for birthing families in the San Francisco Bay Area to connect with local midwives and learn more about midwifery based options available to them. Blossom is hosting this session in response to the increased
interest in out of hospital (community based) birthing options during the current pandemic.
Kathleen Belzer will be a panelist on June 2nd. If you have specific knowledge in community-based birth, please go to the link below so Californians can hear from CNMs!
For more information and to register, please head to:
Facebook Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/299847574337651/
For Midwives:
We invite Bay Area Midwives to join our panel, please use this form to sign up for dates that work best for you (also please share this with your community birth clients who might be willing to participate): https://forms.gle/AQ5AeiJHuG9sRfqs7
Blossom Birth and Family based in Palo Alto, CA has been serving the San Francisco Bay Area for over 20 years. Blossom is an independent, community based 501(C)3 non-profit organization with a mission is to connect new and expectant families with services, resources and support for a healthy, informed and confident pregnancy and parenting journey.
Do you need PPE??
Blossom Birth and Family has PPE and will continue to work towards gathering more as needed! Please reach out to Mora Oommen at morablossom@gmail.com, or fill out this form so she can gather all the info in one place: https://forms.gle/o9YFTJ3ZutqQXFS99
Birthing Justice Response CA COVID -19
On average, there are over 1000 live births everyday in California, and that hasn't stopped during the COVID-19 epidemic. Advocates, health professionals and doulas are working to re-imagine perinatal care both during COVID-19 and beyond that centers our most vulnerable communities.
As a way to uplift and protect women/birthing people's bodily autonomy, understand the issues that are most impacted, and push for a more just future for all, we want to hear from you. The survey found here is designed to capture the stories of pregnant people as well as people who have recently given birth. Please use the form to share your story, you do not need to provide your name or contact information if you do not feel comfortable and we will not share any identifiable information.
CMQCC Needs your Help
AMR project from CDPH—an in-depth review of maternal deaths due to hemorrhage, starting with 2014 cases through 2018. We are in need of a nurse-midwife to complete our committee and thought you would be the best person to direct us to possible candidates. We are interested to see what opportunities for improvement can be identified in these cases, since they capture the time frame before and after statewide implementation of hemorrhage bundles. We expect to have about 50 cases to review in the years 2014-2018, and 8-10 reviewers from across California. We plan a total of 3 review meetings (zoom or in-person) beginning in July or August, with the first meeting an orientation/brainstorm to ensure we are collecting data that can address our research questions. (These plans are subject to COVID-related developments). Travel expenses associated with CA-PAMR meetings will be reimbursed but there is no other remuneration.
Contact Christine H. Morton, PhD if interested: cmorton@stanford.edu | 650-995-4550
Virtual Doula Service
We know that these are uncertain and frightening times for expectant mothers. In spite of this, women can still have their support team with them during birth, even given the visitor restrictions currently in place. Because birth is not a time when anyone should feel isolated or unprepared, some birth workers who are passionate about supporting families virtually have decided to step up to fill the gap and help birthing people get the preparation and support they need. Karma Brazell, a childbirth educator with 30 years of experience, decided to start up Birth Class Anywhere and is offering low-cost, live, online childbirth classes. Christine Torres, an experienced doula, has decided to take her services virtual as well. Through private virtual coaching, New Birth Services can offer professional level, guided support that will help empower women and their partners as they navigate the process of giving birth in the midst of a pandemic. We know that a lockdown wasn’t part of anyone's birth plan, but that doesn’t mean that women should have to go through this without the necessary support.
For more information, please see the links below:
Questions? News? Want to get involved?
Email us at info@cnma.org
That's all for this month's issue. Catch you next time!
-CNMA MEDIA TEAM
Visit us at cnma.org