Support Community Midwives: Legalize CPMs in New York State

We are Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) and student midwives fighting for recognition in New York. Families deserve safe, respectful, and accessible out-of-hospital care—but here in New York, CPMs still do not have a pathway to licensure.

Why This Matters

Planned home births and birth center births with midwife-led care result in low rates of intervention among low-risk birthing people, with optimal health outcomes for mothers and babies. National evidence shows that when midwives are integrated into the health system, outcomes improve:

fewer cesarean deliveries

more vaginal births (including VBACs)

higher breastfeeding rates

greater satisfaction with care

What Is the Certified Professional Midwife Licensing Bill?

The CPM Licensing Bill (Assembly Bill A1125 & Senate Bill S5542) seeks to establish a route to licensure for Certified Professional Midwives in New York.

Under this bill, CPMs would be licensed to provide:

care throughout normal pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and newborn care

primary preventive gynecologic care for healthy individuals

services in homes, birth centers, and community settings

This bill sets clear requirements for education, license, and practice. To qualify, applicants must graduate from a MEAC-accredited midwifery program and hold the CPM credential through the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM).

As of 2024, 38 states already recognize CPMs. New York is one of only 12 states that does not.

Why New York Needs This Now

New York faces a maternal health crisis, with racial inequities that were only worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Too many families are left without options that feel safe, respectful, and culturally congruent. CPMs—trained specifically in out-of-hospital birth—are uniquely positioned to fill this gap.

Licensing community midwives is a critical step toward birth equity, birth justice, and reproductive freedom. Families deserve the right to choose the most appropriate care for themselves, and midwives deserve the recognition to serve safely and sustainably.

How You Can Help

Your donation will support:

Advocacy efforts to pass CPM licensure in New York

Training and support for student midwives preparing to serve their communities

Outreach and education so families know their options

Together, we can build a future where every family has access to safe, community-based midwifery care—and every midwife can serve without barriers.

✨ 38 states recognize CPMs. Why not New York? ✨