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Certified Nurse Midwives and Licensed Midwives

Welcome to the New Mexico Certified Nurse Midwives and Licensed Midwives home page.

Table of Contents

Banner graphic that explains the purpose of the maternal child health program.

Birthing Workforce Retention Fund

OPEN FOR APPLICATIONS 1/15/20 – DEADLINE TO SUBMIT 1/31/20

This notice is to announce a funding opportunity for some providers of obstetric and midwifery care. Please distribute this letter with its attached rule and application form to all eligible providers in your community who practice as a solo provider.

Professional Liability & Malpractice insurance for providers of childbirth health care is costly. To assist providers of birthing services with their malpractice insurance premiums, the New Mexico legislature initiated a Birthing Workforce Retention Fund in 2008.

The Department of Health (NMDOH), as the administrative agency for this Fund, is extending an invitation to birthing providers to apply for an award in this State Fiscal Year 2020.

For this Fiscal Year, which ends June 30, 2020, the Fund has $60,000 available. Awards will be between $5,000 and $10,000.

To be eligible for award of money from the fund, the applicant must:

  • be a certified nurse-midwife or medical doctor licensed in New Mexico providing comprehensive prenatal and birthing services,
  • show that NM Medicaid or indigent patients constitute at least one-half of his or her obstetric practice,
  • have a current malpractice liability insurance policy covering birthing services,
  • show intent to continue his/her obstetrics practice in New Mexico during the period covered by the award, and
  • sign the attestation (included on application) stating that the award will not be used to provide premium assistance for tail coverage purchased upon applicant’s termination from his/her work practice.

Application requirements can be found in the attached Birthing Workforce Retention Fund Rule, NMAC 7.30.9, and on page 2 of the attached application form. The deadline for applications for awards in New Mexico State Fiscal Year 2020 is January 31, 2020. Applications must be delivered electronically or postmarked and mailed to the Maternal Health Program office (see application for address) by close of business that day.

Please see the New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration website for the W-9 Substitute form. It is an electronic fillable form and must be printed, signed, and submitted with the Birthing Workforce Retention Fund Application Form.

Please address any questions to contact Jessi Sanchez at 505-476-8907.

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Practice Guidelines

Pioneering midwives in the state of New Mexico envisioned a time where the art and science practiced would become a socially and legally sanctioned profession. Through the formalization of midwifery practice guidelines, they were able to take a giant step in the direction of that vision.

The current Licensed Midwife Practice Guidelines are available on our website.

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NMAC

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Educational Opportunities

Expanding Access and Choice for all Contraceptives

The UNM Department of Pediatrics, Division of Adolescent Medicine and the LARC Mentoring Program, in collaboration with the Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health and the NM Department of Health is offering a series of trainings in 2020. These trainings are for anyone interested in LARC training, or in incorporating and improving IUD and implant care and access to all contraception options in clinics across NM. Please see the UNM LARC Mentoring Program page for more information and to register for upcoming trainings. Continuing Education credit, as well as travel stipends, are offered for some courses.

Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published its Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain to provide recommendations for the prescribing of opioid pain medication for patients 18 and older in primary care settings. Please visit the Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain and Opioid Overdose Training for Providers web pages to learn more.

MCH Public Health Training

Starting in January 2015, the first co-hort of the MCH Public Health Training Institute will be starting up. This is a collaborative effort between UNM and NMSU to offer advanced training to MCH Professionals in New Mexico’s urban and rural areas. It will offer a Graduate Certificate in Public Health for the Maternal Child Health Workforce. Financial assistance may be available to enrollees.

Application documents are available on the Envision New Mexico website.

CME Hours in Opioid Management

Medscape opportunity to gain CME hours in opioid management. Demonstrate accurate knowledge about how to initiate and manage therapy with ER/LA opioid analgesics, including appropriate monitoring for adverse effects and possible misuse. Visit the Medscape Login page to start the activity.

In addition, there is a HRSA-sponsored opportunity to gain CME hours in opioid management through the Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network.

And lastly, here is a third, free opportunity to gain CME hours through the Massachusetts Medical Society.

CME Course - Safer Opioid Prescribing

This is a 3-part on-demand series that will provide clinicians with information that will allow them to improve their ability to: provide safer treatment to extended-release/long-acting opioid patient populations, track and coordinate referrals, provide appropriate access and communication, plan and manage care, and measure performance improvement. Please see the Continuing Medical Education Solution for Safer Opioid Prescribing in a New Era of Health Care Reform page for more information.

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Examination

To become a New Mexico Licensed Midwife, you must pass an examination on New Mexico rules and guidelines related to midwifery. As you know from the Licensed Midwifery Regulations, these are binding on Licensed Midwives.

Fee

There is a $20 fee (check or money order) collected at the examination.

Length

The examination usually takes two hours or more to complete.

Interviews

The examination includes interviews with a Newborn Genetic Screening nurse and the Newborn Hearing Screening coordinator, who will provide you with the required materials.

When

  • January 13, 2021
  • February 10, 2021
  • March 10, 2021
  • April 14, 2021
  • May 12, 2021
  • June 9, 2021
  • July 14, 2021
  • August 11, 2021
  • September 8, 2021
  • October 13, 2021
  • November 10, 2021
  • December 8, 2021

Where

Please contact the Midwifery Office at 505-476-8866 for current test session location.

Registration

Contact Katie Avery at 505-476-8866 to register.

Study Materials

The materials below cover the different topics. A printed copy of these materials will also be available to you on the day of the exam as it is an open-book examination.

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Certified Nurse Midwives Advisory Board

Pursuant to NMAC 16.11.2.12, in the Practice Rules for Certified Nurse-Midwifery in the State of New Mexico, the Public Health Division of the New Mexico Department of Health shall appoint a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) Advisory Board to make recommendations to the department regarding the regulation of CNMs.

The board may be comprised of:

  • three New Mexico licensed CNM's, at least one of whom is actively practicing midwifery;
  • one New Mexico licensed midwife who is actively practicing midwifery;
  • two consumer members;
  • one actively practicing board certified obstetrician-gynecologist physician; and
  • one representative of the department, not subject to term limits.

Board members other than the department representative shall be appointed for staggered terms up to three years in length, and not more than two consecutive terms.

Board members shall serve on a voluntary basis without compensation; they may submit for reimbursement for in-state travel and per diem for Division-called board meetings per Department of Finance and Administration Regulations.

Any member failing to attend two consecutive board meetings without good cause and an excused absence prior to the meetings shall be deemed to have resigned from the board.

Members

The current Certified Nurse Midwives Advisory Board members list is as follows.

CNM Board Advisory Board Members:

  • Lukes, Catherine – CNM member
  • Knauber, Kait – CNM member
  • Bettler, Claire - CNM member
  • West, Jennifer – LM member
  • VACANT – Consumer member
  • Gabaldon, Ann – Consumer member
  • Peterson, Sophie – MD member
  • Avery, Katie – DOH manager
  • Nardini, Katrina – DOH Rep Member

Meetings

The board meets quarterly in March, June, September and December. The Advisory Board meetings are open to the public; closed portions of the meeting may be held at the discretion of the Board.

CNM 2020 Schedule

Minutes

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Licensed Midwives Advisory Board

Pursuant to NMAC 16.11.3.13, in the Practice Rules for Licensed Midwifery in the State of New Mexico, the Public Health Division of the New Mexico Department of Health shall appoint a Licensed Midwifery Advisory Board. The Board’s activities will be:

  1. Review complaints against Licensed Midwives as requested by the Division and make recommendations to the Division;
  2. Remain current in clinical practice and professional issues and advise the Division accordingly;
  3. Recommend updates in the Standards and the Manual;
  4. Conduct other relevant business as requested by the Division.

The Licensed Midwifery Advisory Board shall be composed of nine (9) members and one (1) ex-officio member; the membership shall be as follows:

  • Three (3) state licensed midwives, at least two of whom shall be actively practicing
  • One state licensed certified nurse-midwife actively practicing midwifery
  • Three (3) consumer members
  • One (1) state licensed physician actively practicing obstetrics
  • One (1) member from the Division; and

A representative of the Maternal and Child Health Bureau in the Public Health Division will be an ex-officio member of the Board.

Board members shall be appointed for staggered three-year terms and not more than two consecutive terms, except for the member from the Division, who shall serve at the pleasure of the Division Director and who shall not be limited as to terms.

Board members shall serve without compensation; they may submit for reimbursement for in-state travel and per diem for Division-called board meetings per Department of Finance and Administration Regulations.

Any member failing to attend two consecutive board meetings without good cause and an excused absence prior to the meetings shall be deemed to have resigned from the board.

Members

The current Licensed Midwife Advisory Board members list is as follows.

  • Self, Louise – LM member
  • Frechette-Gutfreund, Jessica – LM member
  • Campili Stauss, Elena – LM member
  • Ortiz, Felina – CNM member
  • Gould, Kelly – Consumer member
  • Nkouaga, Carolina – Consumer member
  • Nezzie, Amanda - Consumer member
  • VACANT – MD member
  • Avery, Katie – Division member
  • Nardini, Katrina –

Meetings

The board meets quarterly in March, June, September and December. The Advisory Board meetings are open to the public; closed portions of the meeting may be held at the discretion of the Board.

LM 2020 Schedule

Minutes

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