Hello all and welcome to the very first MN Affiliate ACNM Newsletter! Thank you for being a member of the MN ACNM Affiliate. We know our members are located throughout the state in a variety of different practice settings. With this newsletter, we have a goal of keeping all our members informed of the MN Affiliate’s news, goals, events, and legislative efforts as well as making MN ACNM feel safe, inclusive, and supportive for all its members. We know it is easy to feel distanced from the MN Affiliate Community when you are located outside the Twin Cities Metro. We plan to start hosting a yearly spring meeting in Duluth or Rochester. In the meantime, we would love for you to join the quarterly meetings via zoom.
If you are not feeling supported by the MN ACNM Affiliate community and/or you have a suggestion for how we can improve, please reach out by email: MNACNMaffiliate@gmail.com
Important Email addresses
In an effort to make communication with the board more efficient and to keep a nice record as board members change, please use the following email addresses.
Co-Presidents: mnacnmaffiliate@gmail.com
Vice President: vp.mnacnmaffiliate@gmail.com
Treasure: treasure.mnacnmaffiliate@gmail.com
Secretary: secretary.mnacnmaffiliate@gmail.com
Indigenous and Midwives of Color Committee (IMOCC) Updates
IMOCC hosted a successful summer gathering in August!
Follow us on Instagram @imocc_mn
Email: imocc.mn@gmail.com
Student Corner
Are you a student member of the ACNM Affiliate and want to be more involved? We are hoping to bring back student opportunities and activities including the Suture Workshop! If you would like to take part in the revitalization of the student section of the Affiliate, please send your contract information to VP Dominique Jones at vp.mnacnmaffiliate@gmail.com
Past Event Updates
Short Film Screening
MN ACNM hosted a short film screening event in August showcasing the finalists in the Black Star Film Festival in the Caregiver category. While all four films were wonderful, the highlight for us was Bone Black: Midwives vs. the South with Queen Latifah as one of the executive producers. Good conversations were had after the films related to the erasure of Black midwives in the U.S. and how increasing our support for our community birth workers in MN can positively impact maternal health disparities. Prior to the film, the board talked to several BIPOC community birth workers in the Twin Cities to talk more about their work, inquire about their current needs, and learn how we can better support them. Look for upcoming social media posts highlighting these conversations. Thank you to those who came! The trailers and more information on the films are available here.
We also discussed actionable steps we can all take now:
- Reach out to, meet, and love on our local black, brown, and indigenous birth workers. Follow them on social media and share their content!
- Refer clients to their services! Update your referral lists and dot phrases to include their doula lists, lactation support, childbirth education classes, etc.
- Support them monetarily! A majority of our BIPOC community birth workers are not only offering their services to support themselves and their families, but they are also giving back to our communities by offering free and reduced services. Most have options for donations on their website where you can set up a one-time or monthly donation. If you don’t have the funds for that right now, send them a venmo buying them a coffee with a supportive note attached.
Lobbying Efforts
- Bill HF 1324
As many of you know, the bill to establish Certified Midwife (CM) licensure in MN did not pass last year. Through lobbying efforts, incredible progress was made with many legislators on the health committees but did not make it into committee. MN ACNM has again partnered with the Minnesota APRN Coalition for the legislative session 2023 and 2024 and are committed to working jointly together on the bill specific to obtaining licensure of the CM. A new strategy to lobbying efforts is being planned that will entail utilizing the maternal health and mortality disparities as a platform to get the ear of the Gov and Lt Governor’s health policy people
Several of your MN ACNM Board Members attended the APRN coalition meeting on 9/13. If you are not currently a member of MN APRN Coalition, please consider joining for $45/year. One of the benefits is partnering with over 11,000 APRNs in MN to improve outcomes and make changes!
- Modification to existing MN Statute 147d
The crisis: Since 1999, licensed professional midwives (LPMs) have been ordering the medications listed in their formulary in statute in Minn. Stat 147D, specifically pitocin and other medications to prevent postpartum hemorrhage.. Licensed by the Board of Medical Practice as autonomous healthcare providers, CPMs are trained, skilled, and competent in the use of the medications in their formulary. Recently, one and then various suppliers have begun refusing to sell these medications to midwives, making it impossible for midwives to obtain essential life-saving medications within their scope of practice, resulting in a danger to their clients. This development has revealed the need to modify existing Statute 147D to allow midwives to ‘obtain and administer’ medications in their formulary to align with the original intent of the law and with common statutory language and practice in other states that license midwives.
How you can help:
- Make a donation through Elephant Circle Here, the MN NACPM fiscal sponsor
Save these Dates
October 5th – MN ACNM Affiliate Meeting
6:30pm – 8:30pm · M Health Fairview Midway Campus-Conley Room · 1700 University Ave West, St. Paul
October 27th – Optimal Outcomes in Perinatal, Reproductive, and Sexual Health Conference
7:30am – 5pm · Minneapolis Marriott West · West St. Louis Park
Also has a virtual option!
Haven’t registered yet, no problem! Sign-up Here
