In 2019 Oklahoma passed a law regulating CPMs and CMs. That law was authored by Senator Brenda Stanley and Representative Cynthia Roe, and can be found here. The law is very brief and calls for rules to be created surrounding midwifery practice.
Those rules were developed by the Health Department and the Advisory Council on Midwifery, and have been approved by the committee. They are currently known as the Proposed Rules.
Until February 16th, the proposed rules are open for public comment. During this vital step in the process it’s important that you make your support and/or concerns heard.
You can make your comment one of two ways:
1st, you can submit a comment via an online form.
2nd, you can participate in a virtual meeting on February 16th.
TIPS FOR PUBLIC HEARING:
Download WebEx beforehand, unless using call-in number: https://www.webex.com/downloads.html
If you are calling in: For phone (audio only) participants, please use this dial number 1-415-655-0001 US Toll or 1-844-621-3956 United States Toll Free. The event number (access code) is 146 648 4018.
Link for public hearing instructions (explains call-in instructions and what to expect): https://oklahoma.gov/…/organiza…/public-hearings.html…
Link for public hearing:
https://okhealth.webex.com/mw3300/mywebex/default.do…
Please allow yourself at least five to ten minutes prior to the start of the meeting to ensure you can register and access the hearing in a timely manner.
Individuals wanting to comment must access the hearing and virtually sign up by 1:20 p.m. for the 1:00 p.m. hearing.
Once you have joined the virtual hearing, if you wish to make a comment, please get in queue to make a comment by “raising your hand.”
If you are attending by phone and wish to make a comment, please press *3 to raise your hand by 1:20 p.m. Please note, if you “raise your hand” via phone line, they cannot see your name.
Comments can be up to two minutes in length.
You should use your own words, but if you need some ideas about how to get started, here is a helpful script:
“I’m (NAME) from (TOWN, OKLAHOMA DISTRICT), and I generally support the rules as written. I find them to make a reasonable effort to protect consumer choice or provider and autonomy.
If you have specific concerns, you might say something like: However, I do not support (RULE X) due to (the specific negative impact it will have on my choice/autonomy)/(the specific extra burden or barrier to care it will cause for me.) I suggest you replace this rule with language that ensures I am given appropriate informed consent and allowed to make my own health care choices.”
If you agree with all rules as written, then leave out the last half.
If you are kicked out of the hearing at any time due to technological failure, there will be a final opportunity to raise your hand at the end of the hearing to account for technical difficulties throughout the meeting as time allows.
After the public comment session, Interim Health Commissioner, Lance Frye, M.D., will make the final recommendation to Oklahoma lawmakers.