Take Action 2013!

August is "Midwifery Advocacy Month," the perfect time to talk to your legislators about the "MOMS 21" bill.  The materials below will help you educate yourself and your legislators about the value of the "Maximizing Optimal Maternity Services for the 21st Century Act (MOMS 21)."  

What is the "Quality Care for Moms and Babies" Bill?

• MOMS 21 Legislative Brief

• MOMS 21 Press Release

• "Dear Colleague" Letter from Rep. Roybal-Allard explaining HR 2286

• HR 2286 Full Text

Is Your Legislator a Co-Sponsor?

• Check to see if your legislator(s) are sponsoring this bill.  Go here, click on the button specifying "Bill number" above the search bar in the center of the screen, then search for "HR 896," and "S 425"  Once you have the result, click on the link to "Cosponsors" to see the list.     

How Can You Take Action?

• See a video tutorial of a midwife making a sample call to a legislator.

• Call your Representative and ask them to co-sponsor HR 896 and tell your Senators to cosponsor S 425.  

• This sample call script can help.  

• Consider using these MOMS 21 Talking Points when communicating with your legislator(s)

• After your call, send a follow-up email to the person you talked with.  

• Here's a draft e-mail you might use. 

• Write a letter to your Senators and Representative inviting them to visit with you in your practice so they can learn more about the value of midwifery care.  Here are sample letters you might use:  

• Inviting your Senator to Visit and Discuss HR 2286 and S 425

• Inviting your Representative to Visit and Discuss HR 896 and HR 2286

• Encourage your physician colleagues to write to their legislator(s) in support of the MOMS 21 bill.  

• Here's a sample letter you might use.  

• Let your Affiliate's Legislative Contact (ALC), a member of the Government Affairs Committee and ACNM's Director of Advocacy and Government Affairs know the outcome of your efforts.

• Use this Reporting Form for Meeting with Legislator to summarize your experience.

Resources

• Midwifery Fast Fact Sheet

• Midwives as Primary Care Providers and Leaders of Maternity Care Homes

• Evidence-Based Maternity Care: What It Is and What It Can Achieve. The Milbank Report.

• Midwifery: Evidence Based Practice 

• Joint Statement of Practice Relations Between Obstetrician-Gynecologists and Certified Nurse-Midwives/Certified Midwives 

• Institute of Medicine (IOM)'s The Future of Nursing Report, October 2010

• "Advanced Practice Nurse Outcomes 1990-2008: A Systematic Review"

• Professional Midwifery Credentials Comparison

• Talking points for Certified Midwife (CM) licensure

• Midwifery in the U.S. and the Consensus Model for APRN Regulation

 Blog Archives

•  It's the Little Things - Cassie Moore, ACNM Writer and Editor

• Let's Get Political - Emily Hoger, SNM
  

• Every Month is Advocacy Month - by Kathryn Kravetz Carr, CNM; Brielle Stoyke, CNM; and Jeni Poell, CNM
  

• Building Relationships: My First ACNM Lobby Day, Blog post April 6, 2011- Jenifer Poell, CNM, WHNP-BC, VIce-Chair, ACNM Government Affairs Committee 
  

• MOMS 21 Blog Post August 9, 2010 - Kathryn Kravetz Carr, CNM, Chair, ACNM Government Affairs Committee 
  

• MOMS 21 Blog Post July 27, 2010 - Kathryn Kravetz Carr, CNM, Chair, ACNM Government Affairs Committee
  

• MOMS 21 Blog Post July 19, 2010 - Heather Bradford, CNM, Ex-Officio, Government Affairs Committee, Chair, Midwives-PAC 
  
  

For more information, contact ACNM Federal Representative Patrick Cooney at 202-347-0034, [email protected].