The NACPM Chapter Program is growing in depth as well as breadth as we focus on how to bring an even deeper level of support to our chapters in the coming year. We currently have nineteen fully formed chapters with four in formation and inquiries from an additional eight states. We have so far hosted fifteen quarterly Chapter Collaboration Calls and offer quarterly chapter newsletters. The NACPM State Chapter Equity Toolkit is currently undergoing an external review process in an effort to enhance value and mitigate bias, and we hope to have this resource available very soon. Lastly, we hosted the first-ever in-person Chapter Leaders Day on May 20, 2018 outside of Washington, DC. We are building momentum, and we would love for you to join us! Contact Susan at chapters@nacpm.org for more information.
Limited Time Launch Funding for Newly Formed Chapters Through the End of 2018
We would like to thank Ann Geisler of Southern Cross Insurance Solutions for her generous support of the NACPM Sate Chapter Program. Since 2015, she has offered $500 start-up funding for each new chapter. This launch funding, which more than covers the cost of chapter formation and gives new chapters a surplus to put toward their state priorities, will no longer be available after the end of the calendar year. If you are considering forming a chapter in your state, now is the time! Contact Susan at chapters@nacpm.org for more information on forming your state chapter today
State to State Sharing of Resources & Models Through the Chapter Program
In our experience of working with chapters, NACPM is collecting resources and models from states that can be shared with other states. The great value of a vibrant network of CPMs across the country lies in no one state having to toil in isolation or reinvent the wheel. We all benefit from this state to state sharing, and we hope to continue growing these sorts of relationships and collaborations through the Chapter Program. Some exciting examples coming out of our state chapters include the following:
Maine’s example of cross-system collaboration and the benefits that are now leading to a system-wide perinatal collaborative
North Carolina’s model for successful cross-professional relationship building through NCMERA, which is modeled after the USMERA collaboration. NACPM has recently shared this information with Rhode Island as a model.
NACPM frequently shares specific resources from Smooth Transitions in Washington State, which use the Home Birth Summit transfer guidelines. Representatives from Washington have expressed a willingness to bring this program to other states either virtually or in person.
Washington, DC is a current example, as is last year’s legislation effort in Hawaii, of including indigenous and religious exemptions in CPM legislation.
The NACPM system of chapters is becoming an effective avenue for outreach to state leaders which facilitates direct communication between states and from states to the national organization.
Carolina Birth Junkies Third Annual Retreat
For the third year running, the North Carolina and South Carolina Chapters of NACPM have held a joint Summer Island Retreat near Rock Hill, SC on an island in the Catawba River. This event began as a recertification opportunity for NRP and CPR, and it grew into a vision for midwives coming together to learn, connect, and RELAX! Lori Gibson of the South Carolina Chapter and Christine Strothers of the North Carolina Chapter chose the island location because they sensed a shortage of opportunities for midwives to come together and talk with other midwives in a relaxed atmosphere. Lori likes to think of it as a “standing appointment with each other every year” that ensures they will step away from the craziness of busy midwifery practice and get to know each other and enjoy some R&R.
Lori considers this very important for self-care, especially considering the demands of midwifery. Every year they have a massage therapist so that participants can get a 20-minute chair massage to help ease the tension from their busy, stressful work load. The first year they did a three-hour team building event, and last year (when NRP and CPR recertifications weren’t on the docket) there was more down time to walk around the island, breathe in the fresh air, and let their minds rest. Lori says this year was pretty packed with the promised NRP recertification with Karen Strange and several other excellent speakers including Henci Goer, Justine Clegg, Andie Nantz, Christine Strothers, Sakina O’Uhuru, Belinda Leshea, and Susan Smartt Cook from the NACPM Chapter Program. While the quality and value of the educational components were top notch, they were reminded of the importance of protecting down time. Next year, there will be more time to breathe and connect, and they hope to draw even more midwives from across the country. This year 45 participants registered for NRP and nearly 30 stayed for the entire weekend, including some from Kentucky, Colorado, and New York. You certainly don’t have to be from the Carolinas to join in the fun, so keep an eye out for more info at www.carolinabirthjunkies.com.
Click here to see the full schedule from this year’s retreat