Agenda

Sunday, May 3, 2026

Monday, May 4, 2026
East Ballroom, Mayflower Hotel

Health Policy Briefing: Leveraging Federal Policy to Sustain Midwifery (1 CE)
Speaker: Diana Jolles, PhD, CNM, FACNM

How do federal agencies shape the future of midwifery practice? This session will break down the structure and influence of the Department of Health and Human Services, CMS, and the CMS Innovation Center, and explain how these systems can be leveraged to support midwives and the patients they serve. Attendees will learn how Medicaid policy, payment models, and federal demonstration programs like Strong Start and the Transforming Maternal Health Model create real opportunities to expand access to midwifery care nationwide.

No Preceptor, No Progress: Expanding Clinical Training Through Policy Change (.75 CE)
Speaker: Shaughanassee Vines, DNP, CNE, CNM, FACNM

Clinical training opportunities are one of the biggest barriers to growing the midwifery workforce. This session will explore policy solutions to support preceptors and expand access to clinical training sites, including strategies to achieve parity in federal training funding. Without preceptors, there is no workforce — and without policy change, the shortage will continue.

From Platform to Policy: Using Social Media to Advance Midwifery Advocacy (.05 CE)
Speaker: Karen Kelly, CM, MS, FACNM

Policy conversations are increasingly happening online, and midwifery must be part of them. This session explores how strategic use of social media can influence policy narratives, strengthen coalitions, and increase awareness of midwifery among lawmakers, health system leaders, and the public. Attendees will learn how structured digital advocacy can help state affiliates and individual midwives amplify their voice and move policy forward. 

Movement Building for Midwifery: Lessons from Successful State Advocacy
Speakers: Emily Anesta; Tiffany Vassell

Real policy changes happen when communities organize. This session shares the story of a successful grassroots advocacy movement that led to landmark midwifery legislation in Massachusetts. Presenters will discuss coalition-building, engaging families and consumers, using storytelling to change public perception, and sustaining advocacy efforts over time. 

Building the Midwifery Workforce: Federal Policy, Funding Instability, and the Fight for Durable Investment (1 CE)
Speakers: Mary Lawlor, CPM; Wendy Gordon, DM, MPH, CPM, Sharifa Yamba, MA

The future of maternal health depends on a strong midwifery workforce, but federal funding for midwifery education remains uncertain. This session will examine the impact of recent federal investments in midwifery training, the consequences of sudden funding cuts, and current efforts to secure stable, long-term support for midwifery education programs. 

Midwifery is Political: How Midwives Can and Should Engage (.75 CE) 
Speaker: Julie Blumenfeld, DNP, CNM, FACNM, FAAN

This session explores the critical role of civic and political engagement in advancing midwifery and nursing priorities. It defines key concepts such as political determinants of health and representation and examines current data on the political participation and elected representation of nurses and midwives.

Independent, Now What? Navigating Autonomous Practice in Health Systems (1 CE)
Speaker: Katie Page, CNM, MSN, FACNM

Full practice authority is only the first step. This session will help midwives understand how federal rules, state laws, and hospital policies interact to shape real-world practice. Attendees will learn how scope of practice, privileging, reimbursement, and organizational policy all influence autonomy and how to advocate for change within their own institutions. 

May 5, 2026
ACNM Hill Day