Protect Homebirthing Families in Mississippi Dear Mississippi Legislator, Please enact legislation requiring that direct entry midwives have verifiable training and experience in out of hospital birth. Each year, more and more families in Mississippi are choosing to birth at home for deeply personal, religious and financial reasons. Under current law, anyone can practice midwifery in Mississippi regardless of training or experience. However, surrounding states, such as Louisiana and Tennessee, have licensing requirements. This has made Mississippi a "safe haven" for unsafe midwives fleeing states where they are not authorized to practice. Families are choosing to give birth at home and they have a right to do so. The state of Mississippi has a responsibility to provide a system for those families to verify competency and, if needed, file a grievance. Mississippi lawmakers must address this urgent public safety issue by requiring midwives to be trained and experienced in out of hospital birth. Currently, 27 states require that midwives attending out of hospital birth obtain the Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) credential and Mississippi needs to do the same. CPMs undergo rigorous educational and training process including a clinical internship and a national board exam. It is the only certification that requires training in out of hospital birth. Mississippi families need legislation to prevent unsafe midwives from "setting up shop" in our state.

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