The Battle with AzDHS Continues…

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Last week we saw a landmark event take place among the midwives of AZ and the Dept of Health.

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After years of watching AZ midwives try SO hard and without much success to create change by working with the AZ Department of Health, we have finally stood our ground and said that we will no longer stand for their inappropriate and illegal management of midwifery regulation.  Thank you so much to the midwives, student midwives, doulas, and consumers that stood bravely on the steps of AzDHS as we made this historic announcement.

I am sure the news and social media buzz has already reached you, but just in case you’ve been hibernating here is the scoop! You can check out the following news sources –   3TV    Cronkite   KJZZ   NewTimes   News12
On Thursday, November 5th, with support of midwife members and unanimous vote by the board, AAM filed legal action against AzDHS/Cara Christ. The decision to take this action was a serious one and was not considered lightly. We understand the potential pitfalls but firmly believe the positives that may come out of this action are worth the risk. This legal action, called a declaratory judgement, seeks to to four main things.
  • Stop the illegal investigation into midwives charts  that contain private health information.
  • Stop the aggressive enforcement of new rules that illegally reduced the midwives’ scope of practice.
  • Relieve midwives of the increased administrative burden.
  • Stop the enforcement of unconstitutional midwifery laws that violate the right t12187909_10153447117693551_2568884392368372840_no refuse vaginal exams, STI testing, and medical treatment.

 

There is a LOT of work to be done as we wait for the legal process to unfold. It is expected tha
t it will be months before we see the results of this lawsuit.
—Facebook group Unite AZ Midwives Hands We will be posting updates and future actions
—Contact Dir. Cara Christ, AG Mark Brnovich and Gov. Doug Ducey with your views on the points above
—Watch for media coverage, share news stories and comment on the media’s pages referencing the lawsuit whenever you see a story about midwives
—Watch online for blogs and comment to correct any errors, refer people to Unite AZ Midwives Hands for further action
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12115622_10153447234783551_4587849593449052946_n 12189765_10153447149453551_33542106681297837_n 12189910_10153447149803551_953394598263047320_n 12190855_10153447149548551_1758357904170484850_n 12063642_10153763662082915_3354583452913501752_n12191590_10153447162823551_1462165082752432490_n 12191800_10153447117338551_2564540703679193230_n 12193670_10153447234848551_306843109764259534_n 12208842_10153447235043551_1261821519273636799_n Wendi @DHS

Calling all lovers of midwives – Rally at AZDHS!!!

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Arizona Association of Midwives (AAM), with the support of community members and everyday families of Arizona will rally in front of the Arizona Department of Health Services, at 11am Thursday, November 5, 2015 to demand that the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS), along with the State of Arizona elected officials, including Governor Ducey, stop the bureaucratic persecution of, and instead, publicly support the Midwives of Arizona in providing safe preconception, prenatal, labor and birth, and postpartum care to the families of Arizona. The rally will coincide with a special announcement by AAM.  


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Arizona midwives want to provide safe and ethical, evidence-based care to the growing families in our state. ADHS has said they just want compliance with their rules. ADHS relies on said rules to coerce and force people into mandatory medical care, mandatory testing, and mandatory vaginal exams, mandatory hospital transports for non-emergent or contained emergency situations.
IF a midwifery client declines any of these, they are no longer legally allowed to be cared for by an Arizona Licensed Midwife. Not in that moment and not for the rest of their pregnancy or postpartum. Midwives have protecting their clients from these mandates and the response from ADHS has been to threaten, harass and persecute.

Midwives are being persecuted and harassed for providing safe, evidenced-based and consensual care to their clients. Since the new rules and regulations for Licensed Midwives came into effect in 2013, 22 midwives of the 74 currently licensed in AZ have been sanctioned by the ADHS for any number of “offenses.” These offenses include respecting their client’s ability to opt out of testing, procedures, hospital transfers or for continuing to see their clients after resolved complications.

ADHS current interpretation and enforcement of midwifery rules is in direct conflict with the midwifery model of respecting clients rights to low intervention practices and informed choice.

This is shameful and illegal! 

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AZDHS and the State of Arizona need to stop persecuting midwives and need to start embracing them as a means to reduce infant and maternal mortality in the state by way of providing thorough and professional maternity care at home and outside of the hospital.

The Arizona Association of Midwives is taking action on behalf of all growing families in the state to ensure that their healing hands are not tied with red tape when it comes time to welcome new life into this world.

Please join us at the rally, come hear the announcement, stay informed!

See our FaceBook invite for more details!

To read my personal account visit blog post Battle with AZDHS.

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Our Birth Stories

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Our stories are one of the most powerful things we own. It is the essence of who we are.

What our stories say.                                       What is your story

What we learn from our stories.

How we tell our stories.

Who we tell our stories to.

We are impacted.

Others are impacted.

Our birth stories, even more. In a culture that is terrified of birth, we hold the power of life. In every birth story you hold the ability to empower yourself and others.

Births that did not play out the story we were hoping are especially important to tell and process in safe spaces.

FATS Mama Circles (both Gilbert and PHX) will be holding a safe space this week to process and tell your story. ALL stories are welcome in our circle. We will use the tool of art to help us process and work through our births.

For the Mamas who have not yet birthed. You have heard countless stories and have a story in your head that is playing continually as to how your birth will go. You are welcome in this circle. Come explore the stories you have been told. Come dig into the story you are playing in your head of the dreams of your birth.

Gilbert FATS Mama Circle is Nov 3 12-2  See the event on Facebook.

Phoenix FATS Mama Circle is Nov 6 10-12  See the event on Facebook.

 

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If you are interested in more birth stories this is a great site!

International Babywearing Week starts NOW!

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group-shot-in-front-of-lakeLast week we started the pre-celebration of this great week of baby wearing. Today it is the real celebrations!

A couple of websites to help you get started on your celebrations! –

IntlBW

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bwiphoenix.com

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If you missed the PHX Mama Circle you can still attend Gilbert Mama Circle on Tuesday 12-2 where we will have volunteers from the BWI Phx chapter there to help us try on new wraps and answer any and all questions on wearing your baby properly!

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