We are Friends of Midwives in NC.

North Carolina Friends of Midwives announces House Select Committee on Licensing Midwives

Wednesday, February 13, 2008 Meeting begins at 1:00pm Legislative Campus Room 1228/1327 LB

Speakers:

Russ - 20 minutes + Q/A
Sonya - 20 minutes + Q/A
Tom Mansfield (I think) - Director of Legal Department for the Medical Board
Dr. Frank Harrison - NC Medical Society (NCMS)
Chip Baggett - Director of Legislative Relations for NCMS

Directions: Directions can be found on the General Assembly website at http://www.ncleg.net/help/directions.html. We will meet in the lobby of the Legislative Building at 12:00pm. The meeting will take place at 1:00pm in room 1228/1327 LB.

Parking: The directions found at the above link will also give you directions to the parking decks depending on where you are coming from.

Parking near the Legislative Building is always tricky. Here are a few options:

Option 1: From the Legislative Building, continue on Jones St across Wilmington St. and take the first right into a visitor parking lot. (This lot fills up quickly.)

Option 2: From the Legislative Building, turn left on Wilmington St. Bear left at the end of the block to loop back onto Salisbury Street. Turn right into the third parking deck on the right, which is marked for visitor parking. (This lot also fills up some mornings.)

Option 3: From the Legislative Building, continue on Jones St. into the residential area and look for unrestricted parking on Jones and the surrounding streets. (This involves walking a few blocks, but you should be able to find a spot.)

What to Wear and Bring:

One of the goals of this meeting is to break the stereotype of midwives and homebirth supporters. In the words of Russ Fawcett, “We should be dressed smart and professional (I will be wearing my "tree hugging, earth munching peace dad" t-shirt underneath my suit and tie).

Babes in arms are welcome. We were coached that we should be very careful with toddlers, as legislators can get annoyed quickly if things get disruptive. If you need childcare, please read the section below.

If you happen to have some of the Liberate Labor, Mandate Midwives buttons,
please bring them on Wed so we can have the audience decked out!
From the GA website: Individuals or groups who enter the buildings for the purpose of expressing support for or opposition to an issue shall not carry signs or placards into the Legislative Complex or display signs or placards, except when the signs or placards are worn as badges or are otherwise attached to the dress, do not exceed twenty-five square inches in surface area and are not libelous or vulgar.

Please bring a pen and paper because we want NCFOM to help us take notes in any questions that the speaks ask.

Childcare:

Childcare will be provided in North Hills, Raleigh (about 15 minutes from the Legislative Complex) at the childhood home Jean House at 224 Ellwood Drive. Childcare will be provided by Ellen Cheek (mother of 5).

If you are interested in childcare or volunteering to help, please contact Ellen at cheekatribe@juno.com or 336-498-1949 or Jean at 910-508-8816. Jean will be at the house at around 11:00 or 11:30.

Here are directions to the childcare:

From I-440E (the Beltline) to the babysitting house:
Take the Six Forks Rd. North exit 8B toward North Hills
Merge onto Six Forks Rd.
Pass through a few stoplights and pass North Hills shopping centers on left.
After you pass Carroll Middle School on the right,
Turn LEFT onto Northbrook Dr.
Take your first RIGHT onto Terry St.
Take your first LEFT onto Ellwood Dr.
The house is the last house on the right at the bottom of the hill.
It is a white painted brick ranch on the corner of Ellwood and Pamlico.

Unable to Attend? We still need YOU!

If you cannot make the meeting on Wednesday, please email the committee members (again, a special note to a Representative from your area) and tell them that you know of the study committee and this meeting, that you are unable to attend but are anxious to see them recommend licensure for CPMs.

Copy your local legislators on anything you send to the study committee members so they are aware of the discussions going on and the concerns of their constituents. You can go to www.ncleg.net to find a complete list of members of House and Senate, where they're from, their contact info, how they voted, what bills they sponsored, etc.