Pursuant to Conn. Gen. Stat. 19a-59l, the Commissioner of Public Health established the Midwifery Working Group within the Department of Public Health. In accordance with the group’s authorizing statute, the purpose of the group is to study and make recommendations concerning the advancement of choices in care for community birth and the role of direct entry midwives in addressing maternal and infant health disparities in Connecticut.
The group is led by community and home birth midwives, and focuses on direct entry midwifery in collaboration with partners in maternal health care. The group includes several midwives with a variety of training backgrounds, alongside representatives of associated maternity care professions. Since 2023, the group has met to discuss hurdles and improvements in birthing care and safety, common needs among the various types of midwives, and ways to coordinate care between community and homebirth midwives and other healthcare professionals.
Co-Chairs
Kara Crawford, DEM Practicing Community Midwife
SciHonor Devotion, CPM, BSM, CLC Founder of Earth’s Natural Touch: Birth Care & Beyond, Inc.
Gengi Proteau, CPM Practicing homebirth midwife at Family Midwifery
Members
Cynthia Bean, direct entry midwife, CPM Practicing homebirth midwife
Lucinda Canty, PhD, CNM, FACNM, FAAN Associate Professor at UMass Amherst. Founder and CEO of Lucinda's House
Anna Cobler, CPM, ASM Practicing homebirth midwife at Bloom Midwifery
Dante Costa, JD, MPH DPH Representative, Office of Policy & Strategic Initiatives
Christy D'Aquila, CNM, CPM Practicing midwife at Magnolia Midwifery
Camille Grant, direct entry midwife Practicing homebirth midwife at Rua Midwifery
Carolyn Greenfield, LM-VT, BA Joyful Home Birth LLC, CNM path
Dawn Havener, CLC, doula, midwifery student Aluna Midwifery
Daileann Hemmings DNP, RN, CLC, CCM System Director, Maternal Health Equity – Hartford HealthCare
Richard Jennings, CNM, MSN Board Member CT Affiliate ACNM, retired Homebirth, Birth Center & Hospital based Midwife
Shayna LaFlam, BSN, RN Nurse Consultant DPH Representative, Reproductive and Perinatal Health Unit
Priya Morganstern, Esq. Midwifery advocate, former midwife
Christina Mukon, DNP, FNP, NP-C Chair of Health Policy for CT APRN Society and Nursing Faculty at the University of Saint Joseph
Selina Osei, MD, MPH, MBA Connecticut Hospital Association representative
Amy Romano, MBA, MSN, CNM Founder & CEO of Primary Maternity Care
Sabrina Selk, ScD, ScM Director of Policy, Connecticut Health Foundation
Kim Sandor, MSN Connecticut Nurses Association representative
Michelle Telfer, DNP, MPH, CNM, FACNM Practicing midwife at Yale
Fatmata Williams, BSN, RN, MPH, C.H.E.S. Department of Social Services Representative
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