(Fri., May 10, 2008 ... We are updating the page today.
If you see a link that's not working, please check back later today and hit refresh.)
"Wherever I go people say to me, WHAT'S WITH ILLINOIS?"
-- Marsden Wagner, MD, MSPH, world renowned
expert in Maternal and Infant Welfare,
following his 2001 Key Note Address
to the national March of Dime Conference
We will answer that question on this site.
Check out this video on youtube about the midwife shortage for home birth in Illinois! Thank you to filmmaker Ami Burns and
her husband for producing this video, filmed at the Coalition's Ricki Lake Fundraiser this past February.
Why license midwives?
The vast majority of Illinois has no licensed home birth care at all. The areas that do have a few licensed home birth providers
do not have enough. This leaves Illinois women with poor choices: hiring an underground network without good access to collaborative
care, importing a midwife from another state or giving birth "unassisted" (without any professional help at all). click
here to read more...
We now have 27 Legislative Sponsors!
Senate Sponsors
Sen. William R. Haine - Martin A. Sandoval - Iris Y. Martinez - William Delgado - William E. Peterson, Jacqueline Y. Collins,
Don Harmon, John J. Cullerton, Dan Rutherford, Pamela J. Althoff, Kimberly A. Lightford, Michael Noland and Donne E. Trotter
House Sponsors
(Rep. Julie Hamos - Mary E. Flowers - William B. Black, Jack McGuire, Shane Cultra, Dave Winters, Mike Boland, Cynthia Soto,
Paul D. Froehlich, Lou Lang, Karen A. Yarbrough, Luis Arroyo, Harry Osterman, Maria Antonia Berrios, Daniel J. Burke and Ron
Stephens
Spring has sprung!
Spring Fundraising 2008
This Spring we are on the verge of victory to license certified professional
midwives in Illinois! We believe that we are very close to coming to terms with the Illinois Nurses Asscoation and the
Illinois Society of Advanced Practice Nursing.
As we hit the home stretch, we need your financial support more than ever! Help us finish this legislative session with our
professional lobbyist, and repay our volunteers who have, so far, been lobbying with little or no reimbursement.
Your support is crucial to continue this legislative effort! Every little bit helps, so please give what you can.
You can donate on-line via PayPal to info@illinoismidwifery.org or visit http://illinoismidwifery.org/
and click on the PayPal Donate button in the lower left hand side of the screen.
If you prefer to pay by check, make your check out to CFIM (or Coalition For Illinois Midwifery) and mail to:
Vicki Johnson
6092 Torchlite Trl.
Rockford, IL 61111
>>Click here to see who
has already contributed to
The Coalition's Spring 2008 Fundraising Drive!<<
While we try our best to keep our page updated, if you'd like the most up-to-date information, please, subscribe to our yahoogroup!
ILFAMFORMW.
Spring Legislative Education Campaign
Help your state representative understand how failing to license certified professional midwives is bad for Illinois
home birth mothers and babies! Write or call your state representative THIS WEEK.
Click on "Contact Your Lawmakers in the menu to the left.
Support Illinois Families For Midwifery with a Bumper Sticker
Click on the picture for information about how to get your own sticker.
Along with the Illinois Council of Certified Professional Midwives...
IFFM is proud to be a founding member of the Coalition for Illinois Midwifery.
Please visit the Coalition at http://www.illinoismidwifery.org
to view and endorse the Illinois Midwifery Initiative!
Why the CPM?
IFFM believes that the nationally recognized Certified Professional
Midwife (CPM) certification is the best and most realistic option for licensure in Illinois. Over the years, legislative
attempts have changed to require CPM certification for direct-entry midwifery licensure.
Why Consumers Advocating?
It's a little unusual for consumers to promote a profession. Consumer Advocacy became necessary as a number of Illinois direct-entry
midwives have retired, closed their practices or moved to other states (where they can be licensed and practice with relative
ease).
If you live in Illinois
We strongly encourage you to contact your State Representative!
Contacting your state lawmakers is the one of the best things you can do to support midwives!
Join IFFM's yahoogroup, ILFAMFORMW
IFFM membership is preferred but not required to join our yahoogroup email list. For the most up-to-date information click here and then hit the "Join this group" button. It's that simple! If you have trouble signing up
at yahoo, email IFFM and request an email invitation to join.
Prefer a lower traffic "alert-only" email list? Email IFFM and include "Subscribe E-tree" in the subject line.
Please link back to this site! Cut and paste the following code for use on your webpage. Thanks for your support!!!
We will continue to update this site, so check back periodically for more info!
