If you know me, you know that I adore podcasts. My friends tease me about how many times I say, “I was listening to a podcast….” as the start to a conversation. So, needless to say, whenever I am asked to be interviewed on one I will likely jump on the offer. I have been on a few. For example, if you want to learn a little about me you can check out this episode of Journey To Midwifery which is a great podcast that highlights the stories of how midwives become midwives. Be sure to check out all the episodes if you love midwives and midwifery. Another podcast, that I was blessed to be on was Plus Mommy talking all about my book. You can check out that post here.

Currently, I am honored to be the President of the American Association of Birth Centers (AABC) and as such am approached for many projects related to birth centers. I am happy and proud to represent the birth center model of care. One such recent ask was from a Vermont Public Radio affiliate’s podcast, called Brave Little State to discuss why there are no birth centers in their state.

And why are there no birth centers in Vermont? Long story short, its all about an arcane law called Certificate of Need. These are laws, in the books of several states that effectively prevent birth centers from opening. Why? Be sure to listen to the podcast episode to learn more and check out the Position Statement on Certificate of Need from AABC for some more details as well. Essentially, these laws need to either be removed completely or at the least have exemptions added for birth centers.

Does your state have a Certificate of Need law? Let’s discuss in the comments.