| | Who Gets to Become a Midwife?By: Sakina O’Uhuru, CNM, CPM, MS |
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| When we talk about workforce development in midwifery, I believe we have to ask a very basic question: Who actually has access to becoming a midwife, and what can we do collectively to make that pathway more accessible?
This is something I think about every day. I see incredibly committed aspiring midwives — particularly Black, Indigenous, and other students of color —who feel deeply called to serve their communities, but face barrier after barrier on the road to becoming credentialed midwives.
Important work is already happening across our profession to expand pathways into midwifery, strengthen preceptor networks, provide financial support, and increase representation. The question for me is: How do we build on that work and go even further?
Tuition is only one barrier. I hear from students about the difficulty of finding preceptors and clinical placements. Some have to travel long distances or temporarily relocate, paying for transportation, lodging, food, and other expenses while also taking time away from work and family.
And finding a preceptor is not always the same as finding a good preceptor.
Students need preceptors who genuinely want to teach and mentor them, and are committed to providing equitable learning environments. I continue to hear about students navigating racialized assumptions, cultural misunderstandings, bias, and sometimes different expectations based upon who they are. Increasing the number of preceptors matters, but we must also talk about the qualty and safety of those learning settings & relationships.
Then there is the journey toward credentialing and the NARM examination. There are examination fees, preparation expenses, and, for some, the cost of retesting. I also believe we should be willing to have thoughtful conversations about whether our assessments, grading structures, and weighting consistently reflect the knowledge and competencies expected of an entry-level midwife in real-world community practice. We can maintain rigorous standards while still examining whether the way we measure competency is realistic, equitable, and effective.
As our country continues to face a maternal mortality crisis — disproportionately impacting Black women and other marginalized communities — alongside critical maternity care shortages and expanding maternity care deserts, we simply cannot afford to lose capable future midwives along the way.
For me, workforce development also means asking how we more intentionally support Black-led, Indigenous-led, women-led, and BIPOC-led midwifery training programs that are already doing this work in their communities. Not just through words of support, but through acknowledgment, funding, scholarships, partnerships, preceptor networks, mentorship, clinical opportunities, and the sharing of institutional resources and power.
This responsibility belongs to all of us schools, preceptors, professional organizations, credentialing bodies, funders, and organizational leaders, etc.
Important work is already happening. And our opportunity now is to ask how we go further, together. How do we remove more barriers, strengthen the pathways that already exist, and make sure our investments reflect the diverse midwifery workforce we say we want and that our communities desperately need?
Sakina is the Founder and Executive Director of A Wombman’s Way Warrior Midwife Training Program. |
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| As we are entering into Fall 2026, NACPM would like to acknowledge the extraordinary contributions Zev Colsen has made to NACPM and to the advancement of community-based midwifery.
Zev brought a remarkable combination of clinical experience, policy expertise, advocacy, and an unwavering commitment to perinatal health equity and reproductive justice. Their leadership helped strengthen NACPM’s voice in critical policy conversations and produced meaningful resources for our members and the broader midwifery community — from their advocacy around the urgent need to protect Title X funding and community-based reproductive care to their leadership in developing NACPM’s 2025 State Policy Report. This work helped to illuminate both the challenges and opportunities facing Certified Professional Midwives across the country, aiding towards sustaining our credential and perinatal profession.
NACPM is especially grateful for the passion and integrity Zev brought to their role as Director of State Policy. Their work was grounded not only in policy expertise, but in a deep understanding that legislation, regulation, and advocacy directly shape the lives of midwives, birthing people, families, and communities. Zev had a remarkable ability to translate complex policy issues into meaningful, relationship-centered, accessible action while ensuring that the voices and lived realities of those most impacted remained at the center of the conversation.
Through their leadership, Zev helped strengthen NACPM’s advocacy infrastructure, develop practical tools and resources, and support midwives and state advocates as they navigated the often complex pathways of legislative and regulatory change. Their contributions to NACPM’s policy resources created lasting tools that will continue to inform and empower advocacy efforts across the country. Zev’s ability to connect policy with the lived realities of midwives, families, and communities has left a lasting impact that will continue to strengthen NACPM’s work long after their departure. We are deeply grateful for the vision, care, and unwavering commitment they brought to advancing a more equitable, sustainable, and integrated future for community-based midwifery.
While we will greatly miss Zev as a colleague, we are thrilled that their next chapter will be with Neighborhood Birth Center, an exciting community-based midwifery initiative working to create a welcoming, home-like birth center in Boston.
Zev, mahalo, gracias, and thank you for all that you have poured into NACPM. Your advocacy, vision, and dedication have strengthened this organization and the midwifery profession. We wish you unlimited joy and success in this next chapter and look forward to seeing the impact you will continue to make wherever you choose to place your rainbow energy.
With gratitude, well wishes, and A Hui Hoa from your NACPM colleagues and community.
— Farrah Ka'healani Rivera, MSM, CPM, LM, NACPM Board Vice President |
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| | | THANK YOU TO OUR AUGUST NEWSLETTER SPONSOR, THE FRESH TEST! |
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| The Fresh Test® offers a clean-label, FDA-registered glucose beverage used to screen for gestational diabetes. Made with only three ingredients—dextrose, crystallized lemon, and mint—it is non-GMO, dye-free, and preservative-free. Designed to meet clinical standards while supporting maternal wellness, The Fresh Test is trusted by providers and preferred by patients. Learn more at thefreshtest.com. |
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| | We’re Seeking Input From Our Community |
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| NACPM members and allies,
We have a three-question survey of which we’d like your input. We appreciate any insight provided as we continue to improve and advance our offerings and capabilities. Thank you in advance! |
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| | | Welcome to Our New Director of State Policy |
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| Hi there, NACPM community!
I'm William, and I'm honored to step into the Director of State Policy role this month. My path here has moved through federal, local, and community-level public health work, always circling back to the same throughline: birth justice and maternal-child health equity.
At HRSA, I served as a Policy Analyst for the MIECHV program, stewarding federal investment into families before and after birth. At the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), I led work across the MCAH portfolio, translating national priorities into guidance that local health departments could use. And at the community level, I directed MCH programming, where policy met people — doula care, postpartum support, and families navigating systems that too often weren't built for them.
Looking ahead, I'm hopeful about what's possible for NACPM's legislative and policy agenda given the foundation Zev, our partners, and contributors have laid out. I want to see more states and territories open clear, workable licensure pathways for midwives, so that scope of practice reflects the full depth of who CPMs are and what they are equipped to do. I want reimbursement policy to catch up to the evidence, so midwifery care is a viable, sustainable path for practitioners and a real, accessible option for families, rather than an out-of-pocket privilege. And as the credentialing landscape shifts, including the changes underway with MEAC's recognition status, I want NACPM to help lead a policy response that protects the integrity and continuity of the CPM credential without compromising strides on access. This is state-by-state work but, as we know, it adds up to a national stance where direct-entry midwifery is fully recognized, funded, and woven into the maternal health infrastructure families and communities rely on.
I come to this space as a Black man deeply committed to Black birthing justice, reproductive autonomy, and the broader fight for birth justice: the belief that every person deserves dignity, choice, and safety in how they bring life into the world — regardless of race, income, or geography.
Right now, my feet are planted in Washington, DC. If you're looking for me outside of policy briefs and legislative reviews, you'll likely find me on a rooftop patio catching up with my village, tucked into a coffee shop (likely Civic On Eighth), or exploring a new greenway around the city. DC's mix of southern warmth and the fast-moving energy of the mid-Atlantic suits me well as a Georgia native.
I'm looking forward to getting to know this community, learning from the midwives and advocates who've been doing this work far longer than I have, and bringing everything I've gathered in my own professional toolkit into service of NACPM's mission. If you see me at a convening or want to connect, please say hello.
In community, William |
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| | Resource Hub for Providers |
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| Maternal Health Action and Resource Center (MHARC) is a central hub for training, support, and skill-building for organizations and individuals working to improve maternal health and ensure safe pregnancies across the U.S. It aims to strengthen State Maternal Health Innovation (MHI) grantees’ abilities to improve maternal health outcomes and reduce the significant disparities faced by disadvantaged populations.
MHARC also serves as a national resource center, sharing and disseminating information about evidence-based strategies and guidance. You can find resources on topics like: Leverage Storytelling for Maternal & Child Health Policy Your Choice: Wait for Labor or Labor Inductin Strengthening Rural Maternal Mental Health A Toolkit for Implementing Two-Generation Postpartum Care State Laws on Substance Use Treatment for Incarcerated Pregnant and Postpartum People And much more!
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| Why the Data You Collect Matters |
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| When discussing data collection in birth, one distinction matters more than most people realize: the difference between administrative data and clinical data.
Administrative data comes from billing codes which are generated for reimbursement, not for care. Because that coding is built around payment rather than practice, it can miss or misclassify important clinical details. That makes it useful for spotting large-scale trends, but not for accurately measuring the quality of care.
Clinical data is different. It comes straight from client records, capturing the risk factors, care decisions, and outcomes as they actually happened. It gives a true picture of the care that was provided.
That distinction is exactly why clinical data matters so much for our field. When it's what's being collected, that information can be used to improve care both within an individual practice and across the community birth profession as a whole.
Both the Community Birth Data Registry (CBDR) and the Perinatal Data Registry collect clinical data toward that goal. |
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| NACPM is looking for one or more volunteers to integrate an AirTable database with Tableau. Do you have this skills, or know someone who does and might be willing to support us in this way? If so, please reach out to Cassaundra at executivedirector@nacpm.org! |
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| | Looking for a Job? Need to List a Job? |
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| Find great employees, board members, students, volunteers, and more at an affordable price — all while supporting NACPM!
We have an employment section on our website that houses employment listings, clinical placements, and volunteer opportunities. Take a look, and post your listing today! |
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| | | Sponsorships for The Community Birth Conference (2027) are Now Open! |
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| The National Association of Certified Professional Midwives (NACPM) and the American Association of Birth Centers (AABC) are thrilled to announce our partnership in hosting “The Community Birth Conference” — happening May 20-23, 2027 in Greenville, South Carolina!
More Than a Conference. A Community. The Community Birth Conference is an opportunity to bring our field together around a shared vision: a future where every family has access to safe, respectful, evidence-informed perinatal care — and where community birth professionals are empowered to practice, lead, and thrive. By sponsoring this conference, you aren't simply putting your organization's name on an event; you're investing in the people, ideas, relationships, and movement shaping the future of community birth.
Why Sponsor? Community birth is growing — and so is the need for strong, connected, well-supported professionals who are equipped to provide high-quality, evidence-informed, relationship-centered care. Your sponsorship helps create a space where community birth professionals can learn, connect, collaborate, celebrate, and build the future of birth care together. As a conference sponsor, you will have the opportunity to: Connect with a highly engaged audience of midwives, birth center professionals, educators, students, researchers, advocates, and other community birth leaders. Increase visibility for your organization among professionals and decision-makers committed to improving perinatal care. Demonstrate your commitment to community birth and the people who provide and receive this essential care. Build meaningful relationships with potential partners, customers, collaborators, and future leaders in the field. Support education and professional connection that strengthen the community birth workforce. Help make this gathering accessible and impactful for the diverse community of people working to transform perinatal care.
Become a Sponsor Today Your sponsorship matters to us! Sponsorship opportunities are available at multiple levels and include benefits such as conference visibility, exhibitor opportunities, recognition in conference communications, promotional opportunities, and opportunities to engage directly with attendees. Take a look at our sponsorship tiers, and reach out to us at info@nacpm.org. |
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| | | Place Your Bid in the September Silent Auction |
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| This month’s NACPM Silent Auction is sponsored by NACPM Board President Tigist Ejeta. Place your bid for the book “Midwifing Mercy: Reimagining Birth Culture with Strategy and Sacred Purpose” by Vicki Penwell.
In a world where too many mothers and babies still die from preventable causes, Midwifing Mercy: Reimagining Birth Culture with Strategy and Sacred Purpose offers a bold and hopeful vision for transforming maternity care.
Drawing from nearly fifty years of frontline midwifery experience and almost 20,000 births through Mercy In Action, Vicki Penwell shares a model of care rooted not only in clinical skill, but in empathy, dignity, intentionality, and deep purpose. Blending powerful stories with practical frameworks, this book equips midwives, birth workers, healthcare leaders, and advocates to rethink systems, lead with mercy, and create cultures of care that improve outcomes for mothers and babies around the world.
From servant leadership and radical hospitality to innovation, disaster response, and global capacity building, Midwifing Mercy explores what becomes possible when birth is treated as both sacred and transformational. This inspiring and practical guide is a call to action for anyone committed to reimagining birth culture with courage, creativity, and compassion. |
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| Starting bid: $15. Auction closes on September 30 at 4:00pm ET. |
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| | | “I believe in NACPM’s mission because it strengthens and elevates midwives who are essential to safe, equitable, community‑centered care. Supporting this auction directly invests in midwifery education and access. |
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| “Midwifing Mercy” highlights how skilled, compassionate care can transform experiences of birth even in settings marked by hardship, inequity, or crisis. Through personal narratives, it reveals the courage, cultural wisdom, and profound humanity that define midwifery at its best, strengthening communities and advancing reproductive justice around the world.
I truly enjoyed “Midwifing Mercy” and gained so much wisdom from its stories. It’s the kind of book that stays with you, reminding you why midwifery matters and how powerful, compassionate care can be. By bidding on this book, you’re not just taking home a meaningful read; you’re actively supporting NACPM’s mission to prepare and uplift the next generation of midwives. Your bid becomes part of a legacy of education, equity, and community‑centered care that strengthens our profession and the families we serve.” — Tigist Ejeta, CPM, MA |
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| NACPM invites current midwifery students to join our quarterly Midwifery Student Social Hour — a dedicated space to connect, share experiences, and discuss the unique challenges and opportunities of the midwifery journey. Enjoy a welcoming space to connect with fellow student midwives. Voice your concerns, challenges and insights in a supportive environment. Gain insight into how NACPM supports student midwives and the midwifery profession. Engage with NACPM leaders who are passionate about improving the future of midwifery.
Join us on Wednesday, September 16 for this virtual gathering. |
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| | | We Welcome Our Chapters and Partners to Share Highlights! |
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| Are you an NACPM chapter or partner who has news to share? Has progress been made in your state regarding legislation? Do you need to put out a call to action to the larger NACPM community? We’d love to share it! |
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| | Reminder to Submit Your Events |
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| We welcome all NACPM Chapters and Partners to submit your events!
View Our Event Calendar. (If viewing on mobile device, hover over the gray calendar boxes.)
Submit Your Event to Our Calendar. If you or others in your network/community are hosting relevant events, or events that offer CEUs to midwives, please share this form with them so we can feature the event on our calendar. |
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| | NACPM is proud to be supported by hundreds of individual donors and these visionary foundations. |
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