CT Midwifery News

RELEASED AUGUST 2002 - There is a situation developing in Connecticut, which threatens your right to choose Independent Midwives as your birth attendants! In mid-June, Barbara Soderberg, CPM, and Bea Arzt, CPM, were sued by the Department of Public Health, which is trying to force them to turn over records on a client, who objects to having her records disclosed. The DPH says it is investigating their activities and may charge them with practicing "outside the scope of their nursing licenses" or "practicing nurse-midwifery without a license."

At the same time, Maryellen Albini, CPM and Joan Mershon, CPM, were charged with practicing medicine without a license. Their case will be heard by a panel of MDs sometime this fall, probably in September or October. All of these charges stem from two births, which occurred over two years ago. Both births involved appropriate and timely transports from home to hospital when medical assistance appeared to be needed, and both births resulted in the good outcome of healthy mothers and babies. It is important to note that both birthing families were pleased with their care and felt that the transfer from midwifery care to medical care was appropriate. Both these families continue to support their midwives and have had NO PART in instigating these charges!

Instead, the charges have been instigated by the Department of Public Health, the same Department of Public Health, which in the mid-1990's, attempted to bring charges of practicing nurse-midwifery without a license against Donna Vidam, CPM, an independent midwife. In June of 1996, the charges against Ms. Vidam were dismissed after the hearing officer ruled that the practice of midwifery was not the same as the practice of nurse-midwifery, and that Donna was legally providing midwifery services. Further, the Department of Public Health was advised that if they wanted to regulate the practice of midwifery, they must pursue this through the Legislature.

That victory for Donna and for midwifery was very expensive; the legal fees were almost $12,000, which Donna and her supporters raised to defend against those charges. We know it cost even more for the Department of Public Health to prosecute the case. Although the Department of Public Health has had six years to pursue legislation which would allow them to regulate the practice of midwifery in such a way that would provide the public the choice of homebirth with qualified, licensed midwives, they have done nothing. Instead, during this time of budget crisis AND two full years after the births in question came to their attention, they choose to attempt to prosecute midwives under statutes which have absolutely nothing to do with the practice of midwifery. At best, this can be described as fiscally irresponsible. Unfortunately, it is also an activity that completely ignores the mandate of the Department of Public Health to protect the health and safety of the citizens and taxpayers of the state of Connecticut. This goal could be accomplished with legislation that insures that the midwives who are offering the choice of childbirth care in a homebirth setting are qualified to do so.

So what does this mean for you? If independent midwifery is to continue in CT, we need your support in the following ways:

1. If you have an E-mail address, please send it to Angelina Kendra at: angelina@nottwins.com. By doing this, we can regularly and quickly update you via e-mail while at the same time, saving on postage.



2. We will probably be asking you, your families and supportive friends, at some point in the future, to show up for court dates/hearings, etc., to show your support.



3. Donations/Fundraising! The midwives have a wonderful attorney, the same attorney who successfully defended Donna Vidam during her hearings several years ago. They expect the defense of four midwives to be even more costly and would appreciate donations in any amount!



4. Write letters and let your voice be heard



5. The Alliance of CT Midwives will be, in the near future, launching a media campaign in anticipation of proposing legislation to regulate independent midwifery. The theme of the media campaign will be, "making the midwifery model of care accessible to all families." If you know of any journalists or reporters who would be supportive of our campaign and who might be willing to do a story, please contact Bea at arzt@juno.com or 860-228-0366, or Joan at ctmidwife@aol.com or 203-426-4248

Thank you for your support! Together we can defend the rights of families to choose independent midwives and homebirth!

This message provided by The Alliance of Connecticut Midwives (ACM) and United Families for Midwifery Care (UFMC).