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Midwives Association of Florida
What is a Florida
Licensed Midwife?
(from Introduction to Licensed
Midwifery~MAF)
Licensed Midwives are autonomous maternity care providers for women with
low risk pregnancies. They work to meet their communities' needs in a variety
of settings: clients' homes, birth centers, clinic and hospital facilities.
In collaboration with a physician they may also provide care for women whose
pregnancies require medical supervision. Licensed Midwives are eligible for
reimbuserment by private insurers and by Medicaid.
The state of Florida has licensed midwives since 1931. In 1982 and again
in 1992, The
Midwifery
Practice Act (Florida Statute 467) was updated, based on the World Health
Organization (WHO) standards and on successful European direct entry midwifery
programs. To become licensed in Florida, an applicant undertakes an intensive
three year program of academic and clinical education and then passes the
North American Registry of Midwives
(NARM) national certification examination for state licensure. The
educational programs are founded upon the core competencies of the
Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA).
MIDWIVES PROVIDE
SAFE AND EFFECTIVE
MATERNITY CARE
The wellness oriented model of care utilized by the licensed midwife promotes
good pregnancy outcomes and the acquisition of good health habits, with
continuity of care from early in pregnancy through the first weeks after
the baby's birth. Utilization of midwives is safe and cost effective maternal
health policy, recommended by the World Health Organization.
MIDWIVES ASSOCIATION OF FLORIDA
P.O. Box 557342
Miami, FL 33255
MAF
is active in state and national politics, welcomes the membership of supporters
of midwifery, but reserves voting rights for Florida Licensed Midwives. LM's
are active in many facets of Florida's maternal child health support services,
with several LM's now in the executive branch of Florida's Healthy Start
program and FL Healthy Mothers/Healthy Babies, as well as other
organizations/agencies with the ability to influence maternal health care
policy.
LEGALITIES.......While licensure is possible under the
Midwifery
Practice Act, this same act makes the practice of midwifery without benefit
of a state conferred license a crime of no small proportions.
HOW TO FIND A FLORIDA LICENSED
MIDWIFE.....There are currently about
50 midwives licensed by the state of Florida and actively practicing. For
an up to date listing of Florida Midwives, their addresses and phone numbers
write to Dianne Clark at the Council of Licensed Midwifery at the address
below.
HOW TO FIND
information on EDUCATION/REQUIREMENTS FOR
LICENSURE. There are
currently four midwifery schools in Florida and further information about
education and licensure can be obtained by contacting:
Dianne Clark, regulation specialist
Council of Licensed Midwifery
1940 North Monroe Stree
Tallahassee, FL 32399-2204
........She is happy to answer questions by return mail (or by phone call
if anyone requesting info would send their phone # when making
inquiries)
Florida's
Midwifery Schools
a current listing of midwifery schools
offering the opportunity to be educated in a manner that allows for state
licensure after examination
Miami-Dade Community College
Justine Clegg, MS, LM
Midwifery Sciences
950 NW 20th Street
Miami, FL 33127-4234
305/237-4234
Florida School of Traditional Midwifery
Jana Borino, administrative director
725 NE First Street
Gainesville, FL 32601
352/338-0766
Delphi Center for Midwifery Studies
Emmah Eastwind, program director
702 West Adalee Street
Tampa, FL 33609
813/274-6404
School of Complementary Medicine
Sharon Schmidt, administrative director
midwifery program
100 East Broadway Street
Oveido, FL 32765
407/366-8615
International School of Midwifery
Shari Daniels Rosenbaum, director
1259 Normandy Drive
Miami Beach, FL 33141
305/866-1095
WHO defines
midwife
the
future of midwifery
Midwife, Midwives
& Midwifery
early
discharge planning
a Florida LMs protocols
for admittance to care
Midge
Jolly, home based midwife
midwifes dream~the
link page
for more information email
MAFnews@aol.com