National Association of Certified Midwives State Chapters

Recognizing Exceptional State Leaders Sandy Glenn

Sandy Glenn, LM, CPM is an extremely dedicated and driven leader in South Carolina. South Carolina wouldn't have been the first state with a chapter without her tireless dedication to CPMs and the families that we serve. She has been a voice for families and midwives for many years in that state and is always willing to step up to the plate regarding regulations for licensed midwives and birth centers.

NACPM Chapters: Grow With Us! NACPM is energized by our ever­growing network of State Chapters, and we would love to have you join us. We currently have 6 fully formed Chapters in North Carolina, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Minnesota, and Illinois, with over 10 additional chapters well on their way toward formation. Since launching the Chapter Program, we have hosted 8 Chapter Webinars including 5 Chapter Collaboration Calls, which have become a space for open discussion and mutual support around issues that deeply impact our work and practice as CPMs. CPMs are pulling together, and we want you to be a part of it! Contact Susan at chapters@nacpm.org today to discuss starting a chapter in your state.

CPMs are pulling together, and we want you to be a part of it! Contact Susan at chapters@nacpm.org today to discuss starting a chapter in your state.

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Congratulations ICCPM Congratulations to the Illinois Council for Certified Professional Midwives, our newest NACPM State Chapter! We've seen the ground breaking work that you've accomplished around midwifery legislation in Illinois, and we are excited to work alongside you to bring that work to fruition.

North Carolina and South Carolina Host Joint Chapter Event: Carolina Birth Junkies Summer Island Retreat

One of our goals with the NACPM Chapter Program is to create a nationwide network of CPMs who can learn from and support one another. Our North Carolina and South Carolina Chapters offer an exciting example of how this mutual support is already building. This summer, they came together to host a joint retreat, and the results were inspiring.

Christine Strothers of the North Carolina Association of CPMS and Lori Gibson of the South Carolina Chapter of NACPM came together to create a robust event on Sand Island in the Catawba River. Lori described this as a vision she and Christine had been cultivating for quite some time, and with the launch of the Carolina State Chapters, they saw an opportunity for joint fundraising in addition to offering “engaging, enticing, and relevant” continuing education: “With both Chapters in infancy and in need of funds, we naturally thought that we would donate any proceeds to the two State Chapters … for expenses related to making CPMs more accessible to families.” In the end, they raised enough for each Chapter to take home over $1,000 with a very simple marketing strategy using word of mouth, email, and a Facebook page created for the

event.

Both Lori and Christine reflected that this retreat went beyond just meeting the needs of local midwives for CEUs and peer review. Over the course of the weekend they had nearly 40 midwives, midwifery students and doulas flowing in and around the island, some coming from as far as Georgia, Colorado, and New York. They experienced connection and camaraderie and saw just how much they have in common as midwives, even across state lines. In addition to the CEUs listed below, they did team building exercises and yoga; they shared meals and shared stories; they got to know one another.

On Sunday afternoon, State Chapter meetings were held. The South Carolina Chapter focused their meeting on updates around legislation and regulations in SC, how to grow their membership, and fundraising ideas. The North Carolina Chapter discussed what NACPM represents and what the goals are on a national level, the new role of State Chapters and goals for NC around legislative efforts, education, professional development, and collaboration with other midwives, consumers, and the medical community including state-level MERA collaborations that they are modeling after USMERA, ideas for handling transport, and opportunities for student involvement. Plans for next year’s retreat are already underway!

Originally published at; http://nacpm.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/10.31.16-Enews.pdf