06 LC 33
1272
House
Resolution 1341
By:
Representatives Benfield of the
85th,
Thomas of the
55th,
Smith of the
168th,
Sims of the
169th,
Holmes of the
61st,
and others
A
RESOLUTION
Creating
the Joint Study Committee on Direct Entry Midwifery; and for other
purposes.
WHEREAS,
pregnancy and childbirth are normal life events; and
WHEREAS,
the citizens of Georgia need access to midwives who provide maternity care and
attend births in homes and freestanding birth centers and who offer the best
chance for a natural birth; and
WHEREAS,
there exists a shortage of maternity care in certain areas of the state and a
shortage of consumer choices for maternity care throughout the state;
and
WHEREAS,
ninety-nine percent of births in the United States currently take place in
hospitals, and many involve unnecessary interventions; and
WHEREAS,
nearly one-third of births, the highest rate ever reported, now occur by means
of Cesarean section, a rate exceeding recommended rates including the national
health goals; and
WHEREAS,
the very large prospective study of out-of-hospital births with Certified
Professional Midwives recently published in the
British Medical
Journal showed that the outcomes
(intrapartum and neonatal mortality) of planned home birth for low risk women in
North America using Certified Professional Midwives are equivalent to outcomes
for similar women giving birth in hospitals, with much lower rates of medical
interventions; and
WHEREAS,
"granny" midwives were Direct Entry Midwives and have played an important role
in the history of this state and their many contributions are deserving of
respect and recognition; and
WHEREAS,
the state of Georgia has no mechanism to provide licensure for Direct Entry
Midwives; and
WHEREAS,
the Georgia Board of Nursing authorizes certified nurse midwives (CNMs) to
attend women in childbirth, but those so certified must be registered
professional nurses who have graduated from an American College of
Nurse-Midwives accredited program, and almost none practice in out-of-hospital
settings; and
WHEREAS,
the Certified Professional Midwife, a national certification recognized in a
number of states, is now available to midwives who meet the standardized
requirements for knowledge, skills, and experience for entry level practice;
and
WHEREAS,
24 states currently provide licensure for Direct Entry Midwives who practice in
out-of-hospital settings; and
WHEREAS,
the large majority of out-of-hospital births that occur in the United States are
attended by Direct Entry Midwives; and
WHEREAS,
out-of-hospital births attended by Direct Entry Midwives cost much less than
hospital births, potentially saving the government of Georgia millions of
dollars, and result in healthier babies with fewer complications;
and
WHEREAS,
the American Public Health Association supports efforts to increase access to
out-of-hospital maternity care services and increase the range of quality
maternity care choices available to consumers, through recognition that
legally-regulated and nationally certified professional midwives can serve
clients desiring safe, planned, out-of-hospital maternity care services;
and
WHEREAS,
the American Public Health Association encourages the development and
implementation of guidelines for the licensing, certification, and practice for
professional midwives for use by state and local health agencies, health
planners, maternity care providers, and professional organizations.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA that there be
created the Joint Study Committee on Direct Entry Midwifery to be composed of
three members of the House of Representatives and two lay persons to be
appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and three members of
the Senate and two lay persons to be appointed by the Senate Committee on
Assignments. The Speaker shall designate a member of the House and the Senate
Committee on Assignments shall designate a member of the Senate who shall serve
as chairpersons of the committee. The committee shall meet at the call of the
co-chairpersons.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee shall undertake a study of the
conditions, needs, issues, and challenges mentioned above or related thereto to
assist in the issue of infant mortality in rural and urban areas of Georgia and
recommend any actions or legislation which the committee deems necessary or
appropriate. The committee may conduct such meetings at such places and at such
times as it may deem necessary or convenient to enable it to exercise fully and
effectively its powers, perform its duties, and accomplish the objectives and
purposes of this resolution. The members of the committee shall receive the
allowances authorized for legislative members of interim legislative committees
but shall receive the same for not more than five days unless additional days
are authorized; and the nonlegislative members shall serve without compensation.
The funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come
from the funds appropriated to the House of Representatives and the Senate. In
the event the committee makes a report of its findings and recommendations, with
suggestions for proposed legislation, if any, such report shall be made on or
before December 1, 2006. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1,
2006.