The CNMA annual election is coming soon, but first we need some candidates! If you’re interested in joining our highly productive team (and bulking up your CV in the process), now’s the time to jump in! Thinking about running, but not sure you’ve got what it takes? We’re committed to mentoring new board members in their role and setting you up for success. The following offices are up for election this Summer: President-Elect, Secretary, Central California Representative, and Northern California Representative.

President-Elect (10/2021-10/2025)

During the first year (10/2021-10/2022), the President-Elect is mentored and supported by the current President as they learn the role and prepare to take on leadership of the board of directors (BOD) and the affiliate. Duties include:

Non-voting member of the BOD.
Attend virtual BOD meetings and other committee meetings throughout the month to learn about the structure and inside operations within the association.
Attend 2 in-person meetings annually that alternate between Northern and Southern California.

During the second and third years (10/2022-10/2024) the President’s duties include the following:

Be the face of CNMA. Be prepared to give interviews, help draft legislation and correspondence when needed, advocate for midwifery and birthing people, stay up to date on health policy issues within the association and the state.
Lead all BOD meetings (prepare the agenda, establish a quorum, get approval for the agenda, approve the minutes along with the secretary, make corrections, sign the minutes).
Voting member of the BOD.
Lead the CNMA Annual Meeting (present the awards, introduce speakers, recognize off going BOD members, and welcome incoming BOD members).
Write the CNMA newsletter.
Attend the ACNM Annual Meeting and represent CNMA during the California Affiliate Meeting and Regional Meeting.
Communicate with the ACNM National Office when necessary.

During the fourth year (10/2024-10/2025), the Past President's duties include the following:

Non-voting member of the BOD.
Offer support and guidance to the sitting President.
Serve as a source of continuity with other groups and organizations in California who have associations with ACNM and CNMA.
Ensure historical context for important issues impacting CNMA and the BOD.

Secretary (10/2021-10/2023)

Voting member of the BOD.
Send out the agenda to all the BOD members 10 days before the BOD Meeting.
Attend and take minutes during the BOD meeting.
Send minutes to the President and other BOD members for corrections.
Get signature on minutes once the corrections have been made.
Send out final minutes to BOD members.
Store minutes on Dropbox and keep Dropbox files organized.
Two year term, may serve up to two consecutive terms

Northern California Representative (10/2021-10/2023)

Voting member of the BOD.
Attend monthly virtual BOD meetings.
Develop relationships with the members of the region.
Establish two-way communication with regional chapter chairs and members to update them on affiliate issues; and bring chapters’ and members’ issues, comments, needs, and requests from regional members to the BOD.
Should attend their own chapter meetings.
Help lead and organize in-district visits and advocacy efforts.
Stay involved and participate in events in their region as a representative of CNMA.
Two year term, may serve up to two consecutive terms.

Central California Representative (10/2021-10/2023)

Voting member of the BOD.
Attend monthly virtual BOD meetings.
Develop relationships with the members of the region.
Establish two-way communication with regional chapter chairs and members to update them on affiliate issues; and bring chapters’ and members’ issues, comments, needs, and requests from regional members to the BOD.
Should attend their own chapter meetings.
Help lead and organize in-district visits and advocacy efforts.
Stay involved and participate in events in their region as a representative of CNMA.
Two year term, may serve up to two consecutive terms.

Nominating Committee Members (10/2021-10/2024)

Three positions are open: one from each region of the state (Northern California, Central California, and Southern California). This committee is mandated by ACNM Affiliate Bylaws, but we have not had this committee in place in prior years. Our goal is to fill the three positions and then determine specific duties with feedback from the Reproductive Justice and Antiracism Advisory Group.

Three positions are open (as described above).
The nominating committee members’ duties will be determined more specifically in the future, but broadly speaking, the members of the committee will help to run the CNMA elections in the future as stated in the ACNM Affiliate Bylaws: “Compose an annual ballot and prepare ballots and disseminate them to voting membership no later than 45 days prior to the date of the annual meeting.”
Members of the nominating committee may not run for any other elected office during their term.
Three year term, may serve up to two consecutive terms.

Join a CNMA Committee!

Seeking Assistant Membership Chair!

The CNMA Membership Chair is seeking someone to fill an assistant membership chair role. The membership chair is responsible for communications with new and existing members as well as developing new and creative ways to increase membership and improve engagement. I am looking for someone to take part in brainstorming and carrying out ideas, as well as assisting with tasks such as emailing and updating membership records. This role can be tailored to fit your interests and skills. If you have a desire to help shape the future of our organization please contact Emily Carter at ercarterRN@gmail.com.

Continuing Education Committee

The CNMA Continuing Education Committee is responsible for planning and hosting the CNMA Annual Meeting each year, and is now taking on the added responsibility of creating continuing education content that will be available through www.CNMA.org (coming soon!). Please consider joining this small and focused team. The work is targeted and specific, but there’s still plenty of room for creativity. Interested members, please contact jillcauley4@gmail.com.

Midwifery Workforce Development and Education Support Committee

This new committee will focus on building and diversifying the CNM workforce in California, including strategizing to increase the number of clinical placement sites and preceptors in California, establishing and maintaining two-way communication between midwifery programs that have student nurse-midwives in California and the CNMA Board of Directors, and fostering and supporting student mentoring programs. They will work alongside the Student Representatives to the CNMA Board of Directors. Ideal candidates include any of the following:

Lead and Chief Midwives from practices throughout the state
At least one representative from each midwifery program that has student midwives in California
Midwives who are passionate about supporting students and educators
Midwives who are passionate about mentoring
Midwives who are passionate about scaling up midwifery in California

Please contact dmvandewiele@gmail.com for more information.

Save the Date for the CNMA Annual Meeting!

The CNMA Annual Meeting will take place on November 6, 2021 in San Francisco. We will be offering a hybrid conference, with options for both in-person and virtual attendance. Stay tuned for more information, and be sure to save the date!

National Policy

Midwives for MOMS Act

ACNM encourages midwives and midwifery supporters to reach out to their House Representative and Senate members and urge support for the Midwives for Maximizing Optimal Maternity Services Act. This bipartisan/bicameral legislation seeks to increase access to high quality, evidence-based midwifery providers by creating federal grant funding opportunities for accredited midwifery education programs with the goal of diversifying our nation's midwifery workforce. Ask your legislators to co-sponsor the Midwives for MOMS Act TODAY!

TRIUMPH for New Moms Act

The Taskforce Recommending Improvements for Unaddressed Mental Perinatal and Postpartum Health (TRIUMPH) for New Mothers Act was recently introduced in the House. The TRIUMPH Act calls for the formation of a federal interdepartmental maternal mental health task force and strategic plan to identify opportunities, coordinate resources, and build upon programs to improve the wellbeing of mothers.

Ask Your Legislators to Co-Sponsor the BABIES Act

The BABIES Act (H.R.337 / S.1716) was recently introduced in the 117th Congress. This bipartisan and bicameral bill seeks to promote accessible and affordable use of freestanding birth centers by Medicaid Beneficiaries. It would build off the Strong Start Initiative by creating a

demonstration payment program under Medicaid. The legislation provides guidance to develop a prospective payment system (PPS) that would reimburse birth centers for prenatal care, perinatal, and postpartum mother and infant care. Now, we need your help to build momentum to advance this legislation. It's very important that your legislators hear from you. Ask your legislators to co-sponsor the BABIES Act today!

Education, Trainings, and Webinars

Saving the Lives of Moms and Babies

The National Partnership for Women & Families has joined the National Birth Equity Collaborative to produce the Saving the Lives of Moms & Babies series. The 10-part series connects the dots between how different socioeconomic factors affect maternal and infant health, the outsize impact these factors have on Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) communities, and recommendations to effect the change we need to ensure all moms and babies thrive. Saving the Lives of Moms & Babies: Addressing Racism and Socioeconomic Influencers of Health presents a ground-breaking summary of how racism directly affects the bodies of moms and babies.

Navigating COVID: Unpacking the Journey of Nursing

This AWHONN webinar will discuss the challenges faced in caring for women and newborns during COVID-19 and beyond and will include innovative strategies to alleviate fear and anxiety. July 20, 2021 1:00 - 2:15 PM. $25 for AWHONN Members, $39 for AWHONN e-members, $50 for non-members. 1.25 CEU provided. Register here.

Massive Obstetric Hemorrhage: What you need to know

The AWHONN Inland Empire Chapter is hosting the Massive Obstetric Hemorrhage: What you Need to Know Webinar on July 26, 2021 at 5:30 PM. This webinar is FREE to AWHONN members, $10 for non-members, and $5 for non-member students. 1.25 CNE will be provided. Register here.

Future of Nursing 2020-2030 Webinar Series

The NAM presents a 4-part webinar series that will explore the blueprint for the next decade of nursing as outlined in the consensus report titled Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity, released in May 2021. The series will expand on addressing the roots of racial inequity and strategies nurses can employ to improve health outcomes, lifting barriers to expand nurses’ scope of practice, addressing nurses’ well-being, and diversifying the nursing workforces to address health equity. Register for each webinar discussion below:

AWHONN Education Town Hall: Public Policy Town Hall

Register for this town hall to learn about AWHONN’s government relations and advocacy for public policies to improve the health of women and their families. Government Affairs Director Seth Chase will explain AWHONN’s process for determining what policies and legislation AWHONN supports and will provide an update on legislation this year in Congress. This FREE program will include time for questions and answers. August 5, 2021, 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM.

25th Anniversary Nurse Leadership Forum

Synova welcomes all perinatal and neonatal nurse leaders in person to the 25th Anniversary Nurse Leadership Forum November 14-18, 2021 in Tucson, Arizona. Join us as we gain the confidence to step up to new opportunities, develop skill in navigating uncomfortable yet important conversations, deconstruct our understanding of other cultures and demographics and how they impact our work, and advance our emotional intelligence to foster the development of our teams. Learn more and register here. Submit an abstract for a poster presentation or for a 20 or 60 minute speaking spot by September 1, 2021.

Scholarships and Grants

2021 Varney ACNM Foundation Leadership Award

The 2021 Varney A.C.N.M. Foundation Leadership Award ($1,500) will be made to two student members of ACNM to support their participation in a unique mentored student leadership experience. Award recipients will attend a one-day LEAD (Learn, Engage, Ascend, Deliver) Leadership Development Program (Sept. 30, 2021), followed by two days at the annual ACNM Midwifery Works Conference (October 1-2, 2021.) The $1,500 award will cover the cost of travel to the conference and other expenses; registration and accommodation costs will be complimentary. Mentorship will be provided by the A.C.N.M. Foundation's Chief Programs & DEI Officer, Maria Valentin-Welch, CNM, DNP, MPH, CDP, FACNM, and past Varney Award winners. This student experience is made possible through the generous financial support of Helen Varney Burst, MSN, CNM, DHL (Hon.), FACNM. Applications due by July 30, 2021.

ACNM Volunteer Opportunities

Committees

Apply by July 16, 2021 for any of the following opportunities:

Chair, Division of Organizational Capacity - Promotes the recognition of ACNM’s role as a leader in women’s health, reproductive health, and midwifery, and ensures ACNM has the resources to ensure volunteers can carry out ACNM’s strategic goals and initiatives.
Chair, Home and Birth Center Committee (HBCC) - Organizes regular meetings of the committee and facilitates the committee members’ work to achieve their goals.
Program Committee Member (2 Positions) - Plans, coordinates, and evaluates the educational content of the ACNM Annual Meeting. They also conduct the Annual Business Meeting, which involves the collaborative efforts of the Board, ACNM staff, contracted meeting partners, committee members, and vendors.

For more information, contact Leadership@ACNM.org.

Representative to AIM

The Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (AIM) is currently in the beginning stages of a project to develop a new patient safety bundle focused on sepsis in pregnant and postpartum individuals. We are seeking a representative from the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) to serve as a member of the expert working group. As a member of the working group, you would be responsible for developing and providing feedback on both a patient safety bundle and supporting commentary. Participation will entail:

• Participation in eight to ten (8-10) one-hour long conference calls/webinars

• Attendance at one four-hour virtual kick-off meeting in August 2021

• Contribution of approximately five (5) hours of independent work on bundle development and revision

For more information, contact leadership@acnm.org. To apply, click here.

Job Opportunities

CommuniCare Health Centers

We are recruiting a full-time, full scope CNM to join us at Communicare Health Center. We have several clinics throughout Yolo County and attend births at Sutter Davis Hospital. We have a wonderful team of supportive midwives and interdisciplinary staff serving a multicultural population. Spanish speaking ability and 2 years of clinical experience is a plus. We’re a longstanding midwifery group in Yolo County and are part of a nationally recognized, award winning CNM/OB collaborative practice model. Learn more and apply here.

Frontier Nursing University

Frontier Nursing University is hiring a part time Regional Clinical Faculty position. For more information, please contact Dr. Eileen Thrower, Clinical Director at eileen.thrower@frontier.edu

Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health

The editors of the Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health (JMWH) are seeking candidates for a Deputy Editor. The JMWH Editor-in-Chief and Deputy Editors comprise the Journal’s senior editors who direct the content, focus, and strategic development of the Journal. To apply, please email a curriculum vitae and letter of interest to Melissa Avery, JMWH Editor-in-Chief Elect at jmwh@acnm.org with questions. For more information, click here.

Nightingale Birth Center Closure: Space Available

The Nightingale Birth Center in San Mateo will be closing its doors in September. The founder would like to keep this beautiful space in the birth community and is looking for midwives, doulas, chiropractors, acupuncturists, lactation consultants, pelvic floor physical therapists, naturopaths, pediatricians, etc, who might want to rent an office space for a minimum of a one year term (but can be longer). For more information on renting the whole space or one of the offices within, visit the Craigslist ad here.

San Mateo Medical Center

San Mateo Medical Center has an immediate full time opening for a Nurse Practitioner in the OB/GYN Ambulatory Clinics at San Mateo Medical Center. Under general supervision, the Nurse Practitioner provides obstetric and gynecologic services such as conducting complete physical examinations, developing diagnostic impressions and managing care of patients in our busy OB/GYN practice. The ideal candidate is a highly independent and reliable practitioner with license and certification as an FNP or WHNP, furnishing privileges and a minimum of two years recent experience delivering prenatal, postpartum and gynecologic care to a diverse population including placement of LARC's, screening and treatment of STI's, well woman exams, and menstrual irregularities. Experience in Midwifery, Labor and Delivery, and Spanish Language speakers will be prioritized. More information is available here.

Midwife Crush Mondays!

Do you know an amazing Midwife who is doing revolutionary work? We want to feature them on our social media platforms!

CNMA is looking for submissions for our new social media series “Midwife Crush Monday” where we highlight the stories of trailblazing midwives across the industry who are making a difference in the midwifery profession. You can even submit yourself!

Here’s what we’re looking for:

Midwife’s name (include pronouns)
Affiliated organization(s)
Why you became a midwife (and anything awesome you’d like to brag about)
Headshot/Photo if available
Bonus: Please include social media handles for tagging!

Please send submissions to sm@cnma.org for consideration!

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

California Nurse-Midwives Association

July 2021 | Mid-Month Update

https://www.cnma.org/news/categories/newsletter

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