AOM’s Employee Midwives Work Group evolves into Diverse Midwifery Models Committee

Since its formation in 2022, the AOM’s Employee Midwife Work Group (EMWG) has been a voice for the growing number of midwives working in ways outside of the traditional billable course of care model. Originally created in response to a member proposal brought to the 2021 Annual General Meeting, the contributions of this group have provided crucial insights into the needs and challenges of midwives working outside of caseload midwifery.  At the time of its inception, EMWG midwife members were employed in external organizations like CHCs and hospitals. Since then, this group of midwives has grown to include those practicing as employees or independent contractors in EMCMs, IMPs, birth centres and hospitals, as well as accessing funding through Schedule Q and Schedule R across a variety of workplace settings.

As more midwives enter a multitude of funding and work arrangements, their unique needs and issues have become more complex and significant to our collective work. 

To recognize the importance of this work, a motion was approved at the June Board intensive for the Employee Midwives Work Group to transition into a formal Committee of the Board. This structural change will further integrate non-BCC issues into the AOM's governance structure, provide strategic guidance and make recommendations by reporting directly to the Board. The transition reflects the AOM's commitment to understanding and responding to the shifting professional landscape, and creates an effective structure to ensure these models are represented in strategic conversations that shape the future of our profession.

The EMWG will evolve into the Diverse Midwifery Models Committee (DMMC) – a name that is broad enough to capture the many ways midwives are funded to work as employees and independent contractors across a range of work profiles and clinical settings, as well as future emerging models.

A call for new DMMC members is currently open. The committee is seeking members who represent the diversity of midwives working outside of caseload models, particularly those working in Indigenous Midwifery Programs (IMPs), Schedule Qs, Schedule Rs and as employees in birth centres. The AOM encourages interested midwives to apply to the call by the August 7 deadline.

The AOM would like to sincerely thank each of the members of the former Employee Midwives Work Group for their time, commitment and leadership in stewarding this work as it continues to mature and impact the evolution of the midwifery profession.

If you are a midwife interested in joining the Diverse Midwifery Models listserv, please contact policy@aom.on.ca to be added.