| Now is the time for safer birth choices in Michigan | ____________ ☆ Support Senate Bill 1208 ☆___________

★ What is this bill all about?

Senate Bill 1208 establishes appropriate standards for education and a defined scope of practice for midwives in Michigan. It will raise the professional bar for all midwives in the state while still preserving a woman’s option to give birth outside the hospital. In essence, it will ensure that women choosing out of hospital birth are "low risk" and that they are attended by educated, licensed, insured, and accountable midwives. 

Here is an article from the Lansing State Journal describing the introduction of the bill.

Are you wondering how this bill will impact you? Please visit here for a summary of the bill's nine highlights or read the full bill right here. 

Many folks are curious about how this bill compares to House Bill 5070. Here is a chart that helps answer that question. 

★ What this bill will NOT do

Some people worry that this bill will restrict or reduce birth options for families in Michigan. This is not the case! 

This bill does not...
a) take away your choice to have a home or birth center birth
b) require an obstetrician to sign a midwife's license
c) make midwifery too expensive to afford
d) exclude services to rural or underserved women 

Still have concerns? Here are some common arguments and counter arguments to check out.

★ How you can help

There are two easy ways that you can show your support for this bill:

1) Contact your legislators and

2) Contact the Committee on Health Policy

We have a variety of resources ready to help you take action, including sample letters, tips for contacting legislators, talking points, postcards and more. You can find them all right here. 

We've also launched a Postcard Campaign directed at the Chair of the Committee on Health Policy, Senator Jim Marleau. If you are interested in mailing a postcard or would like several to distribute to friends and family, let us know and we'll send some to you.

★ What happens next?
Where does the bill go from here? Here is a step-by-step timeline of what will probably happen next.