News & Updates

Next Membership Meeting

November 6, 2024

In person: Kansas City, MO

Virtual over Zoom. Join here.

PROPOSED BYLAW CHANGES:

  1. Amend Consensus to: “Consensus shall be considered achieved when 90% of respondents approve a proposal which will be delivered to members electronically. Respondents will have 48 hours to delivery their vote”

  2. Amend Grievance Review Board requirements to: “The Grievance Review Board shall consist of at least one (1) member of the Board of Directors, and at least four (4) other members selected by the chairperson from the membership of the corporation.  The chairperson shall serve a two (2) year term, and the remaining members shall each serve a one (1) year term.  Members of the Grievance Review Board may not simultaneously serve on the Peer Review Board, but may participate individually in any peer review by invitation of the midwife requesting such peer review.  The Grievance Review Board shall consist of at least two CPMs who practice in homes or in out-of-hospital settings, at least one CNM with out-of-hospital experience…A quorum shall consist of at least three of the above, including at least 2 CPMs.”

October 2024 President’s Letter

We had a wonderfully robust membership meeting on Tuesday, September 3. I was so glad to see so many of my colleagues both in person and over Zoom. The discussion was rich! The passion and commitment to this strange and wonderful profession we all share was fully present. I am proud and excited about the work we were able to accomplish.

  • We have elected new board members! Please welcome our new leadership members:

    • Dawn Finney, CPM from Columbia will serve as Vice President

    • Jessica Henman, CNM & CPM from Wentzville will serve as Secretary

    • Amy Garrison, CPM from Peace Valley will serve as Treasurer

    • Jessica Laub from Humansville, MO has been asked to represent the South Chapter

    • Bailie Land will represent the Kansas City Chapter

  • We unanimously agreed upon an MMA Position Statement on Out-of-Hospital Induction Guidance:

    • “MMA does not recommend pharmaceutical induction or augmentation outside of the hospital including but not limited to the medications Misoprostol/Cytotec or Oxytocin/Pitocin. Pharmaceutical induction or augmentation should only take place in a hospital.”

  • We agreed to refresh our decision-making model. Members present were committed to preserving all the benefits of consensus building, but agreed that the organization may need a bit more flexibility to manage the needs of our diverse and widespread members. 

Amending Consensus

The following proposal to amend the bylaws was developed at our September meeting and agreed upon by all in attendance:

“Consensus shall be considered achieved when 90% of respondents approve a proposal which will be delivered to members electronically. Respondents will have 48 hours to delivery their vote”

What does this mean for MMA decision-making? Many things will remain the same. When a decision needs to be made, those present at that meeting will develop it into a complete proposal. After the meeting, the board will develop an electronic ballot and supply it to members via email. All current voting members will have 48 hours to register their vote or abstain from voting by submitting no response during that time frame. When all votes are counted, as long as 90% of respondents have voted yes, the proposal will pass. 

Why not just say 90% majority wins? We value the consensus process! While the majority of members polled agreed to move away from unanimous consensus, our commitment to well-formed, inclusive decisions remains strong. We value the in-depth discussions that the formal consensus process generates and respect the broad diversity of the midwives in our association. Most importantly, we want to retain the part of the consensus process that encourages the sharing of view points, the building of empathy, and the development of compromises that strengthen our connections and help us grow as individuals and professionals.

The proposed adjustments to the bylaws will not only allow for the needs of 90% or more of our membership to be met more effectively, but also for the voices of members who are unable to attend meetings to be heard. For those who live far from meeting locations or have busy practices that prevent them from consistently attending meetings, this will mean that they are finally enfranchised. 
This bylaw change proposal will be finalized at our next membership meeting, planned for November 6, 2024 in Kansas City.

September Meeting Update:

Missouri Midwives’ Association Position Statement on Out-of-Hospital Induction:

MMA does not recommend pharmaceutical induction or augmentation outside of the hospital, including but not limited to the medications Misoprostol/Cytotec or Oxytocin/Pitocin. Pharmaceutical induction or augmentation should only take place in a hospital.

Calls for Action

  1. If you have not already, please renew your membership. Member perks include access to our newsletters and other updates, access to our Facebook and Google Group, discounts on retreat attendance, and listing on our midwives’ directory. I have been hesitant to remove lapsed members from Facebook and Google, but will be removing lapsed members from those sites by the end of the month.

  2. Attend a local peer review.

Thank you!

Katy Miller, CPM

MMA Board President