Professional Resources

It’s good to explore all available midwife options and decide which pathway you would like to take. There are three certifications for midwives in the United States: certified nurse-midwife, certified midwife, and certified professional midwife.

In Hawaii, CNMs are licensed as APRNs and can practice in hospitals, community clinics and private practice, which can include home births and birth centers. CMs are trained the same as CNMs, but they have limited practice in Hawaii as Licensed Midwives.

CPMs are midwives who specialize in community based birth, such as home birth and birth centers. In Hawaii they practice as Licensed Midwives. Want to know how much it costs to become a CPM? Check out this comparison chart we put together in January 2023.

To learn more about each midwifery pathway check out their professional organizations, educational accreditation organizations and certifying bodies below:

Certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) are recognized and licensed in all 50 states and US territories. They have a registered nurse license and a graduate degree in midwifery education. They attend ACME accredited programs and take the AMCB national certifying exam.
- Click here to learn more about becoming a CNM or CM.
- Click here to learn more about the definition and scope of practice of CNMs and CMs.
- Click here for facts about CNMs and CMs.
- Click here to find the midwifery education programs for CNMs and CMs.
- Click here to find resources provided by ACNM, the professional organization for CNMs and CMs.
Certified midwives (CMs) are recognized in nine states (including Hawaii) plus the District of Columbia, while many other states are pursuing licensure. CMs have a graduate degree in midwifery education, attend ACME accredited schools and take the AMCB national certifying exam.
- For more information about CMs, click the links in the CNM resource above. CNMs and CMs have the same professional organization and scope of practice.
Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) have gained education either through apprenticeship or MEAC accredited programs, and certification from the NARM national certifying exam. *Please note that if you are planning to practice in Hawaii as a midwife and did not obtain your CPM certificate prior to January 1, 2020, you are required to complete education through a MEAC accredited school.
- Click here to learn more about becoming a CPM.
- Click here to learn more about the scope of practice of CPMs.
- Click here to find the midwifery education programs for CPMs.
- Click here to find resources provided by NACPM, the professional organizations for CPMs.

Please note that Hawaii state law requires that midwifery students are enrolled in a US accredited midwifery school in order to be involved in their clinical studies.

For additional reading and resources, you can click here to read about the 5 things the United Nations wants you to know about midwives, their scope of practice and impact on women and children's health. Also head over to the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) for philosophy and model of midwifery care, definitions, scope of practice, essential competencies, and organizational statements such as the ICM Anti-Racism Statement.

A comparison of the ACME programs for student certified midwives (CMs) and the MEAC schools and programs for student certified professional midwives (CPMs) can be viewed and printed here. This information is updated as of January 2023 and the information is based on information obtained from each program’s website. Hawaii state law requires that midwifery students are enrolled in a US accredited midwifery school or program in order to be engaged in their clinical studies.

If you are interested in becoming a CNM or CM:

For students seeking to become a certified nurse-midwife or certified midwife, the student must be enrolled in an Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education (ACME) program.
There are 39 ACME programs, all of which qualify towards the CNM credential; 2 of the 39 schools offer programs that qualify towards the CM credential. These two schools are Jefferson University and SUNY Downstate.

If you are interested in becoming a CPM:

For students seeking to become a certified professional midwife, the student must be enrolled in a Midwifery Education and Accreditation Council (MEAC) school or program.
There are currently 8 MEAC schools and programs, all of which qualify towards the CPM credential.
The list of current MEAC accredited schools and programs for CPM students is here.

If you are a CPM or CM:

Go to the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) Professional and Vocational Licensing Division Midwife Program and select “Requirements and License Application Form.”
Complete the application form, submit all requested application documents, and pay the $50 application fee.
The DCCA will inform you by mail of your eligibility status.
- Please note that if you are a CPM who was certified by the PEP pathway prior to January 1, 2020, you will need to have completed a Midwifery Bridge Certificate prior to applying for licensure.
- If you are a CPM who was certified by the PEP pathway after January 1, 2020, you will need to complete a MEAC accredited midwifery educational program before you are eligible for licensure. The Southwest Wisconsin Technical College offers a 1 year CPM to ASM program that can be done entirely online.
If you are approved for licensure the DCCA Midwife Program will instruct you on how much to pay for your licensing fee based on the date of your approval.
Licenses are renewed triennially, beginning on June 30, 2023.

If you are looking for the laws governing licensed midwives in Hawaii:

Select “Licensing Laws and Rules” on the DCCA Midwife Program website, or click here for Hawaii Chapter 457J and here for Hawaii Chapter 436B Professional and Vocational Licensing Act.
Hawaii Administrative Rules for midwives are forthcoming from the DCCA.

If you are a CNM:

Go to the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) Professional and Vocational Licensing Division Board of Nursing and select “Application Forms, Requirements, Fees and Instructions.”
Complete the necessary application form(s):
If you do not already have your RN license in Hawaii you will need to complete that application and pay those licensing fees in addition to completing the APRN license application and paying the licensing fees.
We encourage you to read the directions for applications carefully, complete your finger printing, submit all requested application documents, and pay the application fees.
Licenses are renewed biennially on June 30 of odd numbered years.

If you are looking for the laws governing CNMs licensed as APRNs in Hawaii:

Select “Licensing Laws and Rules” on the DCCA Board of Nursing website, or click here for Hawaii Chapter 457 and here for Hawaii Chapter 436B Professional and Vocational Licensing Act.
Click here for Hawaii Administrative Rules Chapter 16-89 for nurses.

Go to the DCCA Professional and Vocational Licensing search page and search for any midwife or health professional by license number or individual name.

The DCCA Professional and VocationalLicensing Exempt Birth Attendant Information Disclosure Form. Hawaii law exempts unlicensed birth attendants through June 30, 2023. Effective July 1, 2023 all providers will be required to be licensed.

To check if a CNM or CM is nationally certified, go to the AMCB website, select Consumers, and then “Verify a Midwife”. Type in the midwife’s name and select “Submit.”

To check if a CPM is nationally certified, contact info@narm.org or call NARM at (888) 842-4784, and ask to verify if a CPM is certified with NARM.

Though NDs are not midwives, people do ask if there is an obstetrical certification for NDs. There is a certification in natural childbirth through an exam administered by the American College of Naturopathic Obstetricians (ACNO). You can check here if a naturopath holds the certificate; at this time there are no practitioners in HI that are listed.

You can click here for the community birth transfer form used in Hawaii. This was developed by midwives, OBGYNs, MFMs, Neonatologists, EMS, and Fire department representatives. You are welcome to download and print it. MAH Registry midwives receive hard copies in triplicate of the form.

There have been questions regarding the reasoning behind asking the number of births this year a midwife has attended and the number of transfers. This came from hospital personnel who shared when they only receive the transports, it builds better professional rapport when they see that perhaps this is only one out of many births this year; to remind them that there are healthy, normal births happening in the community that they do not see.

Midwives have many opportunities to access rich content with continuing education. Find a starter list of resources below, and if you have any opportunities you’d like us to list, please contact us at midwiveshawaii@gmail.com.

American College of Nurse-Midwives: Continuing Education and Events

Association for Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health: Events

Evidence Based Birth: CE Courses

GOLD Midwifery: Conference and Individual Lectures

International Confederation of Midwives Events, including their triennial Congress: Events

Mercy in Action: Online CEUs

Midwives Alliance of North America: Conferences and Events

Midwives College of Utah: Academy of Continuing Education

Midwifery Today: Conferences

Midwifery Works: Annual Event

Postpartum Support International: Certificate Trainings & Conference

Spinning Babies: Events (Workshops and Confluence)

University of Hawaii, OBGYN Grand Rounds (Wednesdays 7:30-8:30am @ Kapiolani Medical Center): Free online & in-person CMEs/CEs

University of Hawaii, Pediatric Grand Rounds Archive 9/2022: Community Birth and Care of the Newborn (no CME/CE available)

Hawaii Island

Island CPR
73-5574 Maiau St. #4 Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 / (808) 326-7836
BLS is offered. Contact Heart@IslandCPR.com for questions.

Kona Community Hospital
KCH Education Plaza 81-980 Halekii St. Kealakekua, HI 96750
Contact Shannon Larson MN, RNC at 808-322-4559 or slarson@hhsc.org to register for classes.

Upcoming 2024 training dates:

January 26: NRP for Out of Hospital Providers (4pm-7pm)
February 1: Advanced Fetal Monitoring
February 5: STABLE
May 17: Advanced Life Support for Obstetrics
May 20: Intermediate Fetal Monitoring
May 11: NRP for Out of Hospital Providers (12pm-3pm)
July 20: Basic Life Support for Obstetrics
July 27 & 28: Perinatal Bereavement
August 1: Advanced Fetal Monitoring
August 5: STABLE
August 5: NRP for Out of Hospital Providers (5pm-8pm)
October 12: NRP for Out of Hospital Providers (12pm-3pm)
October 14: Intermediate Fetal Monitoring
October 15: Advanced Life Support for Obstetrics

Maui

American Medical Response Hawaii
230 Hana Hwy. #10B Kahului, HI 96732 (808) 871-2153
BLS is offered. Contact HawaiiTraining@gmr.net for questions.

Oahu

American Medical Response Hawaii
99-840 Iwaiwa St. Aiea, HI 96701 (808) 487-4900
BLS is offered. Contact HawaiiTraining@gmr.net for questions.

Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children
1319 Punahou St. Honolulu, HI 96826
NRP courses are offered to licensed professionals. Contact Lori Watanabe at lori.watanabe@hawaiipacifichealth.org for dates and to register.

808-Lifesavers/ Neo Hawaii
91-1177 Waipuhia St. Ewa Beach, HI 96706
BLS and NRP are offered. Contact Cindy at neo1hawaii@gmail.com with any questions.

Online

Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric & Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) Intermediate and Advanced Electronic Fetal Monitoring (EFM) courses

National Certification Corporation (NCC)
Subspecialty certification in Electronic Fetal Monitoring (C-EFM) is available to licensed providers.