Action Needed NOW to Protect Arizona Homebirth Rights

Hello, everyone! Listen up!

Arizona homebirth midwives (CPMs) are currently in danger from proposed legislation that would make practicing legally impossible. Quoting a local midwife:

"As you all know (as I state it in the Informed Consent for an Out of Hospital Birth document), all midwives are required to submit a 'quarterly report' for each client we've served. However, just today I received an 'updated' quarterly form from the state department of health. They are requesting that we begin using this new form for every client since January 1st, 2013... Included in this 'updated' quarterly report is a section that specifically says, "Formal Arrangement for Medical Backup" and asks for the physician and hospital name as well as who we have standing orders/prescriptions for O2, pitocin, vitK, and eye ointment. 

"I am officially seriously terrified - if they are drafting official documents including this requirement, combined with the lack of public comment being scheduled at the next meeting....I am SERIOUSLY, for the first time, wondering if I will have a job after this summer."

In summary: This legislation would require Certified Professional Midwives to have formal physician backup arrangements for all clients. Backup arrangements are nearly impossible to obtain, meaning that this would form a Catch-22 effectively putting Arizona midwives out of business, and Arizona homebirthers without birth attendants.

What can we do to help?

Please send a letter to Will Humble, Office of the Director, asking that this legislation not go through. Following is a sample note - please do not copy and paste (we need individualized communications), but feel free to use this as a jumping-off point:

Director Will Humble:

I would like to continue to have access to homebirth midwifery in Arizona. Therefore, the proposed section on requiring a backup physician in the proposed rules/regulations MUST be struck! Please do not make midwifery illegal by maintaining that requirement!

Thank you.

You can send your physical letter to:

Will Humble
Office of the Director
150 N. 18th Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85007

You can fax your letter to:

(602) 542-1062 (Fax)

You can email your letter to:

piowebmaster@azdhs.gov

You can also leave a comment on Mr. Humble's blog.

Thank you, my friends!