A. A licensed or unlicensed midwife shall disclose verbally and in written form to a prospective client at the outset of the professional relationship:
- 1. Which credential the midwife possesses, if any;
- 2. The limitations of the skills and practices of a midwife;
- 3. Whether the midwife carries malpractice insurance; and
- 4. A plan for emergencies and complications to include selection of a hospital in case of emergency.
B. The Advisory Committee on Midwifery shall prescribe the form of the informed choice and disclosure statement required to be used by a licensed or unlicensed midwife under this act. The form shall be posted on the website of the Department and shall include:
- 1. Credential of the midwife, if any;
- 2. Disclosure of experience as a midwife;
- 3. The date the license expires, if the midwife is licensed;
- 4. Documentation of compliance with continuing education requirements, if the midwife is licensed;
- 5. A description of the transfer or referral strategy;
- 6. Direction on where to find the scope of practice standards of a licensed midwife, as provided by rules of the State Commissioner of Health; and
- 7. Additional informed choice and disclosure statements approved by the Committee and provided by rule specific to vaginal birth after Caesarean (VBAC), vaginal breech birth and vaginal multiple birth.
- C. The informed choice and disclosure statement shall include a notification that state law requires a newborn to be tested for certain heritable disorders and hypothyroidism, in the absence of a signed parental waiver from the State Department of Health.
- D. A licensed midwife shall disclose to a prospective or actual client the procedure for reporting complaints to the Department.
Laws 2020, SB 1823, c. 40, § 10, eff. November 1, 2020.