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Our Mission and Purpose
The Midwifery Education Accreditation Council's mission is to promote excellence in midwifery education through accreditation. It creates standards and criteria for the education of midwives. MEAC standards incorporate the nationally recognized core competencies and guiding principles set by the Midwives Alliance of North America and the requirements for national certification of the North American Registry of Midwives.
The purpose of MEAC is to establish standards for the education of competent midwives, and to provide a process for self-evaluation and peer evaluation for diverse educational programs. MEAC is a non-profit organization approved by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency.
Philosophy Statement
As an accrediting body for direct-entry midwifery educational programs, the Midwifery Education Accreditation Council plays an essential role in the development and support of the profession by requiring educators to follow a path of continual growth and improvement in the delivery of midwifery education. This is achieved by supporting the development and accountability of high quality educational programs built on evidence-based and current best-practice research. MEAC views accountability as a necessary and positive component of professional midwifery, and we embrace our role as providers in this process.
MEAC sets standards for midwifery education while encouraging heterogeneity in the models used and the individuals served. The tension between upholding objective standards and maintaining a rich variety of options for students is a challenge we gratefully accept.
We uphold the principles of inclusivity, non-discrimination, and diversity in our board composition as well as in our support of varied educational models and broad student and faculty recruitment among our member schools and programs. MEAC values educational programs that train midwives to appropriately and competently serve culturally, socially and economically diverse women and families.
We believe in the Midwives Model of Care, not only as the form of care provided by midwives to their clients but also as the standard for our work. This value leads us to strive toward respectful, fair, individualized, responsive and transparent interactions among those with whom we work.
We aspire to be a source of positive influence in healthcare by collaborating with midwifery and other professional organizations. We believe in the midwifery educator’s ability to affect change in the maternity care system by making the Midwives Model of Care more accessible to all women through the training of skilled midwives and their integration as primary providers in women’s health.
Adopted on October 21, 2009
To learn more about the Midwives Model of Care, follow this link
ASPA Membership
The MEAC Board of Directors are very pleased to announce that in August 2009 MEAC was granted, membership to the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors (ASPA).
The goals of ASPA are:
* to promote quality and integrity in accreditation;
* to address accrediting issues in educational, governmental, and public policy contexts;
* to facilitate collaboration among programs and institutions; and
* to enhance the relationship among the respective accrediting organizations through scholarly thought, dialogue and activities to promote a climate of improvement of educational quality, service, rigor, efficiency, and fairness in accreditation.
ASPA member agencies subscribe to the widely referenced ASPA Code of Good Practice. A major focus of interest both to ASPA members and to the regional agencies is in enhancing the value of the accrediting process to the programs and institutions served, as well as to the public.
ASPA members include agencies whose history goes back to the very earliest years of accreditation, and whose accrued body of knowledge about assessing education quality provides a useful resource for accreditors serving the spectrum of educational programs and bodies, as well as for the institutions served by the accreditation processes.
ASPA believes the support of higher education should be viewed expansively, bringing into the universe of recipient institutions those which, through accreditation, demonstrate that they offer programs of quality, designed to help students acquire the skills and knowledge needed to become productive members of society.
To read the ASPA Code of Good Practice, click here
ACCAHC Membership
The MEAC Board of Directors is very pleased to announce that we are now members of the Academic Consortium for Complementary and Alternative Health Care (ACCAHC).
ACCAHC envisions a health care system that is multidisciplinary and enhances competence, mutual respect and collaboration across all complementary and alternative medicine and conventional health care disciplines. This system will deliver effective care that is patient centered, focused on health creation and healing, and is readily accessible to all populations.
The values of ACCAHC are:
• the diversity and traditions that exist in federally accredited complementary and alternative medicine institutions as well as recognized emerging complementary and alternative medicine fields that wish to become federally accredited CAM institutions.
• the Institute of Medicine statement that “the goal of integrating care should be the provision of comprehensive care that is safe and effective care, that is collaborative and interdisciplinary, and care that respects and joins effective interventions from all sources.”
• public accountability and standards of practice, which emphasize patient-centered care, patient safety, practice competencies, professionalism and a rigorous code of ethics.
• the complementary and alternative medicine paradigms and their academic and clinical applications, which recognize the intimate relationship between health, mind, body, spirit and environment, and emphasize health promotion, healing, prevention and wellness.
• the importance of insuring that complementary and alternative medicine academic health care institutions have direct and equitable access to all public and private support systems.
Furthermore, ACCAHC supports evolving complementary and alternative medicine academic health centers and institutions as they emerge through the benchmarking processes of establishing high standards and developing academic curriculum, research, clinical training, future leaders and policy action that will affect the transformation of our health care system.
To see the ACCAHC Desk Reference, click here
What Others Are Saying About MEAC
Dear Jo Anne,
Thank you for the glorious news! And more especially, thank you for your thoughtful, care-filled process with Nizhoni. Pursuing MEAC accreditation has made a significant difference in the structure and process of our school, and we are so thankful for your assistance. We look forward to working with you as a ****pre-accredited school**** (those are July fireworks!) and I especially would like to thank you for letting me know by email so that we could find out the happy news right away.
Again, we are so grateful for all your guidance and assistance and for helping to make this dream come true!
Marla
MEAC Board and Staff
| Board Members: |
| Holly Scholles, LDM, CPM, MA (President) Estacada, Oregon |
| holly@meacschools.org |
| Education: 1991-1998 Doctoral Program, Anthropology Department, Emory University, Atlanta, GA. 1990 Master of Arts in Anthropology (Biocultural), Emory University, Atlanta, GA. 1988 Master of Arts in Anthropology (Cultural), University of Texas at Austin, Texas. Professional Activities: President and Part-time Faculty, Birthingway College of Midwifery; Direct-entry Midwife in private practice; Previous Vice-Chair, Oregon Board of Direct Entry Midwifery; President, Oregon Midwifery Council; Former Educator, Women's Services, Providence Medical Center; Former Executive Director, Association of Texas Midwives; Professional member, Midwives Alliance of North America, International Confederation of Midwives, Oregon Midwifery Council, International Childbirth Education Association, Association of Pre- and Perinatal Psychology, American Anthropology Association, and Society for Medical Anthropology, American Botanical Council. |
| Kristi Ridd-Young, M.S., ICCE (Vice President) Alpine, UT |
| kristi@meacschools.org |
| Education: Bachelor of Science in Public Health Administration, ICCE (International Childbirth Certified Educator) CD(DONA), DONA-approved doula trainer Professional Activities: President, Midwives College of Utah;. Founder of Utah Doula Association; Salt Lake Community College Adjunct Professor; Doula trainer; Birth preparation counselor for survivors of sexual abuse; Conference speaker and facilitator on childbearing issues for several international and local conferences; Committee member for Utah Breastfeeding Coalition workplace task force; Former midwife; Former board member of DONA and ICEA. Former Director of Curriculum Development for The Childbearing Year; Owner of The Nurturing Place—an educational and product resource for childbearing families; Product developer of a natural skin care line; Mother of six children, seven step-children and five grandchildren. |
| Mary B. Yglesia (Treasurer) Seattle, WA |
| mary@meacschools.org |
| Education: State of Washington, Licensed Midwife 1996. Brevard College, Titusville, FL., Seattle Midwifery School, Seattle, WA, Graduated in 1996 with Certificate of Midwifery. Professional Activities: Executive Director and Midwifery Education Program Director, Seattle Midwifery School. Board Chair of Association of Midwifery Educators, Vice President Board of Directors for Seattle Girls Choir. Former Administrative Coordinator, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. Former Clinical Director, Seattle Midwifery School. Former Clinic Manager, Program Coordinator, and Maternity Support Services Provider, Family Health Centers, Okanogan, WA. Former Chair of the Okanogan County Breastfeeding Coalition and Administrator of Breast and Cervical Health Program for Family Health Centers. Former Licensed Midwife. Proud mother of Tyla, Paloma and Celeste and grandmother to Ella. |
| Jeanne Madrid, CPM Tulsa, OK |
| jeanne@meacschools.org |
| Education: South Florida School of Midwifery graduate, 1987 Apprentice with Carol Nelson, CPM, LM Professional Activities: CPM practicing in OK; Member of NACPM, OK Chapter of NACPM, MANA, MANA Stats, CfM; Preceptor for students of MEAC and non-MEAC midwifery programs; QE for NARM; ARC Instructor and former Health and Safety Specialist; Former FL Licensed Midwife 1987-2009, TN-CPM 2004-2007; Former Member of FL Council of LM 2003-2009, co-chair and chair; Former Member of FL Governor Chile's Healthy Start Initiative Steering Committee, Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Team, Teen Pregnancy Prevention, TN Midwives Association, The Farm Midwifery Center Midwife Team, and the Midwives Association of FL as vice pres. and legislative committee contributing to the passage of Fl Midwifery Practice Act in 1992 and FL Medicaid Reimbursement for Homebirth Bill in 1997; Employed by the NARM App. Office 2004-2007; Member of the Hollywood FL Seminole Reservation for more than a decade; Outreach Rep. for the Seminole Tribal Empowerment Program 1992; Developed a study project for Seminole Mothers and Babies which the United South and Eastern Tribes Epidemiology Center in TN formulated into The Seminole Birth Study Findings and Analysis Report 2006. Jeanne and her husband have 4 children and 9 grandchildren. |
| Raymond DeVries PhD (Public Member) Ann Arbor, MI |
| ray@meacschools.org |
| Education: Westmont College; University of California, Davis. Professional Activities: Lamaze International, Board member; Birth Works International, Advisory Board member; Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics, Editorial Board member; International Journal of Childbirth, Editorial Board member; Social Science and Medicine, Editorial Advisory Board member; Sociology of Health and Illness, Editorial Advisory Board member. |
| Heidi Fillmore, CPM, NHCM, BS Bridgton, Maine |
| heidi@meacschools.org |
| Education: 1987 Womancare Birth Center, Monett, MO. Internship with Diane Barnes, midwife. 1986 Certificate of Graduation, Midwifery Training Institute, Albuquerque, NM. 1982, BS Architecture, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL. Professional Activities: Founder, Executive Director, and Faculty member of Birthwise Midwifery School; Practicing Midwife in a private Home Birth Practice, Birthwise Midwifery Service; Community Midwifery Educator; Member of New Hampshire Midwives Association; Member of Midwives Alliance of North America, Member, Midwives of Maine; and Member, National Association of Certified Professional Midwives. |
| Kathryn Montgomery, PhD (Public Member) Chicago, IL |
| kathryn@meacschools.org |
| Education: Newcomb College, Tulane University; University of California, Berkeley; Emory University. Professional Activities: Professor of Medical Humanities and Bioethics and of Medicine. She is also the Director of the Medical Humanities and Bioethics Program at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. As such, she has “experienced accreditation from the other side”, and is both interested and eager to become involved with MEAC. She has extensive Board experience with the Society for Health and Human Values, the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities and the Chicago Health Connection now Health Connect One. |
| Sheila Simms Watson, LM, CPM Miami, FL |
| sheila@meacschools.org |
| Education: 2001 AS in Midwifery, Miami Dade Community College. Professional Activities: 1985 Certified Childbirth Educator; 2000 elected to Miami Dade College Midwifery Program Advisory Board; 2003 elected to Board of Directors of Midwives Alliance of North America. |
| Andrea Ferroni, LM, CPM Sonora, CA |
| andrea@meacschools.org |
| Education: 2001 Birthingway College of Midwifery. Professional Activities: California Association of Midwives Board Member; Midwifery Advisory Council (Medical Board of California); MANA; NACPM; Birth Alliance of Central California. |
| Staff Members: |
| Jo Anne Myers-Ciecko, MPH (Executive Director) Mt. Vernon, Washington |
| executivedirector@meacschools.org |
| Education: 1994-1998 Masters Degree in Public Health, University of Washington. 1967-1970 Journalism and American Studies, Honors College, Oregon State University. Professional Activities: Consultant, National Association of Certified Professional Midwives and Midwives Association of Washington State; Former Executive Director, Seattle Midwifery School; Chair, Health Alliance International; Washington Office of Insurance Commissioner, Work Group on Integration of Complementary Medicine; Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board, Health Professional Scholarship Committee; UCSF Center for the Health Professions, Task Force on Midwifery. |
| Nasima Pfaffl, MA (Accreditation Coordinator) Melbourne, FL |
| accreditation@meacschools.org |
| Education: 1999-2006 Masters Degree in Applied Sociology, University of Central Florida; 1997-1999 BA in Sociology, University of Central Florida. Professional Activities: Vice President of Citizens for Midwifery; steering committee member of the Midwives and Mothers in Action Campaign; Treasurer, Coalition for Improving Maternity Services; Chair CIMS’ Grassroots Advocates Committee /The Birth Survey Project; founder Brevard Birth Network, Melbourne FL; former Board member BirthNetwork National; and proud mom to Liam. Nasima has extensive administrative and volunteer management experience within the national birth community. |
| Anana Integre, THP, MI (CEU Coordinator) La Conner, WA |
| ceu@meacschools.org |
| Education: University of Nebraska, Lincoln, BA in journalism; THiNK Institute, Certified Medical Intuitive. Professional Activities: Certified ThetaHealing Practitioner and Instructor; Centers of Spiritual Living, Licensed Practitioner Emeritus. Anana brings to MEAC more than twenty years of University of California, Santa Cruz executive management experience, as well as a thirty year career in teaching. She is mother to midwife-caught, home-birthed daughter CarrieAnn; and great-granddaughter of the first recorded midwife in Nebraska, Lena Schimmer-Scheel. |
History
The Midwifery Education Accreditation Council (MEAC) was established as a non profit corporation in 1991 by the National Coalition of Midwifery Educators.
MEAC's standards for accreditation were developed by expert midwifery educators from a variety of midwifery education programs and institutions in the United States.
The US Department of Education originally approved MEAC in 2001 as a federally recognized accrediting agency.
In December 2002, the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity recommended that the Secretary of Education renew the recognition of MEAC as a nationally recognized accrediting agency.
Accreditation by MEAC is a required element in enabling its accredited certificate and degree-conferring institutions to establish eligibility to participate in federal programs administered by the Department of Education under the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965, as amended.
In May 2003 the Secretary of Education granted continued recognition, for a period of five years, to MEAC as a nationally recognized accrediting agency for the accreditation and pre-accreditation throughout the United States of direct-entry midwifery educational institutions and programs conferring degrees and certificates, including the accreditation of such programs offered via distance education.
In February 2011, MEAC was notified by the USDE Assistant Secretary that the USDE continued the recognition of MEAC with a report due in March 2012.
Volunteer Opportunities
Seeking Continuing Education Reviewers
The MEAC receives approximately 40-50 continuing education applications per year. We currently have a team of three volunteers who review these applications and we want to expand the team. The applications come in electronic format and follow very specific guidelines. MEAC CEU reviewers receive an electronic copy (email attachment or thumb drive or CD) of the application and a review form to complete; evaluation results are to be sent back to MEAC within 30 days. CEU Reviewers are asked to access approximately 2-3 applications per month. Some of the applications can be evaluated in an hour, while a large conference could take 5 or more hours. Our reviewers are midwives who maintain an active practice, stay abreast with current best practices, and are interested in the quality of midwifery education. Please contact MEAC via email, ceu@meacschools.org, if you are attracted to becoming a MEAC CEU reviewer or have questions.
Seeking Accreditation Review Committee Members
MEAC is currently expanding our pool of volunteers who serve as peer evaluators. Qualified volunteers are selected from this pool to form the Accreditation Review Committees (ARC) for each school being considered for accreditation or re-accreditation. The ARC is responsible for the detailed review of the applicant’s Self-Evaluation Report (SER) and related documentation. This review generally takes six to eight hours to complete. The ARC also conducts a two-day site visit to verify the information provided in the SER. Travel and lodging expenses related to site visits are paid by MEAC. The ARC then sends a report of their findings to the MEAC Board of Directors, which makes all final decisions regarding accreditation.
ARC members must adhere to the ethics policy of MEAC, which includes revealing any potential conflicts of interest and maintaining confidentiality.
Participating in the accreditation process requires a commitment of time as well as objectivity, accuracy, and attention to detail. When invited to join our pool of volunteers, you will receive training in the application of MEAC Standards for Accreditation and the accreditation process.
For more information about upcoming training opportunities, Click here
MEAC News
