Access to Midwives and Midwifery education is extremely limited in Hawai'i.  There are no Birth Centers and limited community birth providers who are currently not covered by insurance.  This creates equity and access issues for birthing people especially in our remote communities who have a difficult time finding care.  

Increasing barriers to community-based maternity care not only put mothers and babies at greater risk of harm but also threaten the loss of hands-on knowledge and cultural wisdom passed down through generations. When access to midwifery and traditional birth support is restricted, we lose more than just essential care—we lose the deep-rooted practices, ancestral teachings, and community-based skills that have sustained families for centuries. Protecting community-centered maternity care is about safeguarding both the health of mothers and babies and the cultural knowledge that connects us to our past and future.

1. Women and birthing people's right to informed decision making and to discern for themselves what care provider is right for them.   

2. Community accountability and transparency about care outcomes available to consumers for the provider they are choosing. 

3. Insurance reimbursement for Midwifery care. 

4. Expanded access to diverse midwifery practitioners and diverse accessible pathways into practice including apprenticeship training.

5. Expanded collaboration between medical organizations and diverse independent care providers. 

Evidence shows that access to Midwifery care improves health outcomes for all birthing people and their children. This especially true for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color who experience worse health outcomes and have less access to midwifery education and care.