Advocacy

Error message

Warning: ini_set(): Headers already sent. You cannot change the session module's ini settings at this time in drupal_environment_initialize() (line 699 of /home/mana/www/www/includes/bootstrap.inc).
Warning: ini_set(): Headers already sent. You cannot change the session module's ini settings at this time in drupal_environment_initialize() (line 700 of /home/mana/www/www/includes/bootstrap.inc).
Warning: ini_set(): Headers already sent. You cannot change the session module's ini settings at this time in drupal_environment_initialize() (line 701 of /home/mana/www/www/includes/bootstrap.inc).
Warning: ini_set(): Headers already sent. You cannot change the session module's ini settings at this time in drupal_environment_initialize() (line 704 of /home/mana/www/www/includes/bootstrap.inc).
Warning: ini_set(): Headers already sent. You cannot change the session module's ini settings at this time in drupal_environment_initialize() (line 706 of /home/mana/www/www/includes/bootstrap.inc).
Warning: ini_set(): Headers already sent. You cannot change the session module's ini settings at this time in include_once() (line 256 of /home/mana/www/www/sites/default/settings.php).
Warning: ini_set(): Headers already sent. You cannot change the session module's ini settings at this time in include_once() (line 257 of /home/mana/www/www/sites/default/settings.php).
Warning: ini_set(): Headers already sent. You cannot change the session module's ini settings at this time in include_once() (line 258 of /home/mana/www/www/sites/default/settings.php).
Warning: ini_set(): Headers already sent. You cannot change the session module's ini settings at this time in include_once() (line 259 of /home/mana/www/www/sites/default/settings.php).
Warning: session_set_save_handler(): Cannot change save handler when headers already sent in include_once() (line 261 of /home/mana/www/www/sites/default/settings.php).
Warning: ini_set(): Headers already sent. You cannot change the session module's ini settings at this time in include_once() (line 263 of /home/mana/www/www/sites/default/settings.php).
Warning: ini_set(): Headers already sent. You cannot change the session module's ini settings at this time in include_once() (line 264 of /home/mana/www/www/sites/default/settings.php).
Warning: ini_set(): Headers already sent. You cannot change the session module's ini settings at this time in include_once() (line 265 of /home/mana/www/www/sites/default/settings.php).
Warning: ini_set(): Headers already sent. You cannot change the session module's ini settings at this time in include_once() (line 548 of /home/mana/www/www/sites/default/settings.php).
Warning: ini_set(): Headers already sent. You cannot change the session module's ini settings at this time in include_once() (line 549 of /home/mana/www/www/sites/default/settings.php).
Warning: ini_set(): Headers already sent. You cannot change the session module's ini settings at this time in include_once() (line 557 of /home/mana/www/www/sites/default/settings.php).
Warning: ini_set(): Headers already sent. You cannot change the session module's ini settings at this time in include_once() (line 564 of /home/mana/www/www/sites/default/settings.php).
Warning: ini_set(): Headers already sent. You cannot change the session module's ini settings at this time in drupal_settings_initialize() (line 835 of /home/mana/www/www/includes/bootstrap.inc).
Warning: session_name(): Cannot change session name when headers already sent in drupal_settings_initialize() (line 838 of /home/mana/www/www/includes/bootstrap.inc).

MANA's advocacy activities involve membership and leadership in several national coalitions and the International Confederation of Midwives. (ICM)

ICM is an organization of midwifery organizations from all over the world, seeking to improve maternal and newborn health globally through promoting and strengthening the midwifery profession. The ICM has set a global standard for education, regulation, and association, and provides competencies and tools to help midwifery associations meet those standards.

US MERA is a work group of the seven midwifery organizations who are responsible for education, regulation and professional associations related to the three U.S. midwifery credentials: Certified Professional Midwife (CPM), Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM), and Certified Midwife (CM.) The goal of US MERA is to strengthen the foundation for organizations responsible for midwifery education, regulation and associations to work collaboratively to advance the midwifery profession in the U.S.

The Community Partners program is MANA’s new initiative to support state midwifery organizations by providing a setting for states to share information and experience, strengthen their leadership through mentoring and leadership training, and benefit from MANA’s public affairs and social media infrastructure.

The Integrative Healthcare Policy Consortium (IHPC) seeks to ensure access for all people to the full range of safe and regulated conventional, complementary, and alternative healthcare options through a vigorous policy and legislative agenda.

The Advocacy section of this website will introcuce you to MANA's social justice, legislative, and midwifery platform and projects; and provide inspiration and practical tools necessary to achieve policy goals in reforming the maternity care system in the United States. Contact us at healthpolicy@mana.org if you would like to be part of the solutions!

Health Policy

MANA seeks to raise awareness and improve the quality, safety, equity, effectiveness and outcomes of maternal and child health care through the promotion of the Midwives Model of Care. Therefore, the Midwives Alliance devotes considerable resources to advocacy and activism to achieve these goals.

Tools for Advocacy

Key fact sheets, policy statements, and documents that advocates find useful in promoting and talking about midwifery.

How to Find and Afford a Lawyer

If you are accused of a crime, the U.S. Constitution guarantees you the right to be represented by a lawyer in any case in which you could be incarcerated for six months or more. State constitutions may guarantee that right for lesser crimes. People do not have a right to a free lawyer in civil legal matters. Several “legal aid” programs offer inexpensive or free legal services to those in need.

Position Papers

As a leader in the midwifery profession, MANA has written position statements to provide direction and focus for issues related to women's health, midwifery, reproductive rights, normal physiologic birth, choices in childbirth, and other related topics.

Midwives & the Law

There are approximately 15,000 practicing midwives in the United States.

Maternal and Child Health Trends

While the United States has the highest per capita spending on health care in the world, this has not led to optimal outcomes. The maternity care sector, in particular, has many trends that are heading in the wrong direction.

Midwives As a Key Solution to Alarming Trends

The evidence is mounting that because midwives focus on normal physiologic childbirth and safe, personalized, cost-effective care, they offer a key solution to what ails our broken maternity care system.