Advancing the Practice of
Certified Professional Midwifery
In 2006 several midwives in southern Maine formed a collective (Southern Maine Midwives Collective) to explore practice issues, barriers to safe practice, and steps forward to assure the safety and availability of out-of-hospital birth options in Maine. This collective of midwives met regularly over the year. The group identified lack of legal access to life saving medications, lack of access to routine testing options, and lack of professional collaboration as primary concerns. The collective concluded that these concerns would be best addressed through legislative efforts to license CPMs in Maine. As a result in December 2006 the group incorporated as the Maine Association of Certified Professional Midwives (MACPM) with the following statement of purpose:
“The purpose of the Maine Association of Certified Professional Midwives (MACPM) is to advance the practice and art of midwifery; to educate the public on the merits of midwifery; and to create and maintain a law governing the practice of midwifery in the state of Maine.”
It had long been the desire of MACPM to join the National Association of Certified Professional Midwives as an official state chapter, and in 2010 NACPM made state chapter hood a possibility. MACPM was among the first state organizations to embark on the process, and in 2016 MACPM became the Maine state chapter of NACPM. NACPM is a professional association committed to significantly increasing access to quality maternity care by supporting the work and practice of Certified Professional Midwives. NACPM’s purpose is to contribute to a new era in maternity care by inspiring and engaging CPMs to be an organized force for change.
Mission
MACPM's mission is to support Maine midwives and strengthen the profession through advocacy, training, and community-based action. MACPM aims to increase community access to midwifery care by working closely with midwives, consumers, policy makers, and state legislators to ensure CPMs are visible, accessible, valued, and integrated into greater healthcare systems.
Vision & Values
MACPM believes midwifery should be sustainable, compensated appropriately, and integrated into the broader healthcare systems. MACPM believes midwifery should be representative, vibrant, and celebrate diversity. MACPM values the pursuit of social justice as integral to the achievement of optimal health outcomes for all people. MACPM is committed to ending health disparities. MACPM is committed to increasing representation. MACPM is committed to bodily autonomy and the ability for a person to make choices for the health and well being of self and family. MACPM recognizes the historic and ongoing oppressive underpinning of the profession, including but not limited to racism, ableism, heteronormativity, and gender discrimination. MACPM is committed to antiracism work and dismantling systems of oppression that have resulted in inequitable care and harm. MACPM is committed to removing barriers of care that arise out of outdated gender norms contributing to gender inequality and the marginalization of those who are not cisgender. MACPM believes midwives should offer quality care and accountability for clients, as well as professional growth.
CPM Practice in Maine
In 2016 MACPM successfully passed a bill to license CPMs in Maine. Licensure in Maine requires a CPM credential and graduation from an accredited midwifery program. Licensure of CPMs is overseen by the Board of Complementary Health Care Providers. The Board of Complementary Health Care Providers also determines the rules and regulations that govern CPM practice.
MACPM Today
Currently MACPM is proudly working with the following groups for consistent quality improvement and increased access to care.
Count the Kicks State Ambassador
Perinatal Transitions Collaborative
Perinatal Leadership Coalition
Perinatal System of Care for State of Maine
Perinatal Quality Collaborative
LOCATe Tool Workgroup
Alliance for Innovation in Maternity Care: Hypertension Workgroup
Maternal, Fetal, and Infant Mortality Review Panel
Maine State Breastfeeding Coalition
Grandmothers for Reproductive Rights
PFML Advisory Board
Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous and Maine Tribal Populations Workgroup
MACPM is in active support of passing the following legislative bills.
LD 85 An Act Concerning MaineCare Coverage for Donor Breast Milk
LD 811 An Act To Protect the Reproductive Rights and Freedoms of Maine
LD 1357 An Act To Require Private Insurance Coverage for Postpartum Care
LD 1747 An Act to Require Cytomegalovirus Testing in Certain Newborn Infants
MACPM is in active opposition to the following legislative bills.
LD 1205 An Act Regarding the Scope of Practice of Certified Professional Midwives and Certified Midwives
Board of Directors
Ariel Bernstein CPM, Treasurer
Acadia Gantz CPM, Member
Grace Pease CPM, Secretary
Kate Dewar CPM IBCLC, Co-Chair
Madrona Wienges CPM, Member
Committees
Professional development
Ariel Bernstein CPM
Hannah Neumann CPM LM
Morgan Gaines CPM
Morgan Miller CPM LDM LM
Sierra Holland CPM PHD CBE
Susi Delaney CPM
finances and fundraising
Ariel Bernstein CPM
Elise Chiavon CPM
Legislative
Morgan Gaines CPM
Morgan Miller CPM LDM LM
Sierra Holland CPM PHD CBE
Lauren Howland SM
Antonia Picconi SM
OUTREACH
Morgan Gaines CPM
Morgan Miller CPM LDM LM
Hannah Neumann CPM LM
Jenn Ferguson SM
Lauren Howland SM
Olivia Erickson CLC SM
Interested in participating with MACPM and joining a committee?
Sign in to your member access login to view more information!