FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
- Sandy Glenn, LM MBC
- Apr 6
- 2 min read
SC Midwifery Crisis Deepens: 15% of Workforce Targeted as State Rescinds Access to Trusted Backup Care
COLUMBIA, SC — April 6, 2026 — The Midwifery Advisory Council’s (MAC) Ethics, Competency and Performance Committee (ECPC) has released a supplemental report exposing systemic administrative overreach by the South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH). The state’s sudden move to retroactively rescind long-standing Provider Wide Exceptions (PWEs) has created a critical care gap, affecting nearly every midwife and forcing many consumers to choose between their trusted care providers and eligibility for midwifery services.
The ongoing regulatory crackdown has now impacted 6 of the 43 licensed midwives currently practicing in South Carolina—representing almost 15% of the state’s total midwifery workforce.
Impact on Families and Providers
The removal of Provider Wide Exceptions now eliminates access to established consultant physician/health care provider arrangements that have been honored for a decade. According to reports, this "Regulatory Substitution" attempts to replace "Sound Midwifery Practice" with rigid hospital-based protocols, exceeding the Department’s statutory authority.
A Quote from the ECPC Chair:"The Department’s decision to redact exceptions after providers have relied upon them in good faith for ten years is the definition of arbitrary and capricious regulation. By removing access to trusted backup care, the Department is not only targeting midwives but is directly undermining the safety and autonomy of the South Carolina families they are charged to protect." — Cynthia-J Glenn, LM, MBC, Acting Chair, ECPC Committee.
Status of the Midwifery Workforce
Despite the high percentage of the workforce under fire, recent developments show a shift towards some progress:
Current Sanctions: 4 midwives have had licenses removed, 2 more face active investigations, and 2 were arrested for "practicing medicine without a license".
Legal Improvements: 1 criminal charge has been dropped, and 2 midwives have been approached by DPH with consent order offers.
Appellate Progress: 2 midwives have hearings pending at the Administrative Court, 1 ECPC appeal has been completed, and 2 additional ECPC hearings are being scheduled.
The ECPC report finds that the Department’s pursuit of license revocations is fundamentally unsupported by clinical evidence and compromised by severe administrative irregularities. The Committee formally recommends the immediate reinstatement of licenses for those who remained in compliance with standards in effect at the time of care.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Sheila Dell, CNM, LM
Chairperson Midwifery Advisory Council
Cynthia-J Glenn, LM, MBC
Acting Chair, ECPC Committee
Shayleen Sammons, LM CPM
President, Palmetto Association of Licensed Midwives (PALM)
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