From Black Hills Today, great news for women in South Dakota!
"After years of waiting, South Dakota families now have an option for out of hospital births. Today, Governor Rounds signed into law a bill that allows South Dakota Certified Nurse Midwives to attend births without a previously required collaborative agreement if they are providing care outside of the hospital.
South Dakota’s Nurse Midwives praised the Govenor, Legislators and the South Dakota Department of Health Secretary, Doneen Hollingsworth, for fighting for families who desire home birth care with qualified providers. "It is a huge step in the right direction for low risk families who desire alternatives for their birthing experience" says Sue Rooks, a certified nurse midwife from Oral, SD. "It is great news." Rooks is the Chairperson of the South Dakota Chapter of the American College of Nurse Midwives, ACNM, the professional organization that provides the credential for nurse midwives.
In anticipation of Senate Bill 34s passage, one CNM, Jeanne Prentice has been working toward establishing a homebirth practice in the Northern Hills. Prentice already practices in Wyoming just one mile across the border in Beulah where she provides prenatal care to those in Wyoming who choose out of hospital births but is licensed in South Dakota as well. Prentice has been unable to provide out of hospital care to South Dakota women because of a law that required her to have a signed agreement with a physician as a pre-requisit to practice. Senate Bill 34 removes this requirement for nurse midwives who are providing care in "certain circumstances" – homebirths.
The new law goes into effect on July 1st."
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