As midwives of your community, we see it as our responsibility to increase accessibility to our care, educate the community regarding their birthing options, and promote an attitude of trust and respect for the birthing process. Despite the encouraging statistics of midwife-led care, cost remains a huge barrier for many. Though midwifery services cost a fraction of standard OB care ($4.5K vs $10-$16K), insurance reimbursement for Registered Midwives is very limited, and coverage by Medicaid is non-existent for Registered Midwives in Colorado. 

As you can imagine, poor, immigrant, and communities of color are those who have the least access to our care. And those are likely the communities which could greatly benefit from the comprehensive care of a midwife. To increase access and educate our community, here’s what we’re up to at Community Roots.

Currently, we are offering care on a sliding scale by providing 2 low-cost births/month to those in need. We hold bi-monthly community presentations regarding midwifery care and are present at community events such as Longmont’s Cinco De Mayo, Boulder/Longmont Pridefest, and Longmont Farmers Markets, spreading the word about midwifery care. We offer free, weekly lactation support groups in Longmont and we also teach low-cost childbirth education and breastfeeding classes quarterly. 

Our GOALS for the near future include: 

• training midwives and doulas who represent under-served communities

• increasing the depth of our sliding scale

• hosting community clinics in which folks can access both midwifery care as well as reproductive health care and holistic therapies such as acupuncture, massage, and chiropractic care for a minimal fee

• AND deepening the scope of our community education by hosting informational presentations at community centers and health clinics, with a focus on reaching out to our immigrant and teen populations.

How you can HELP:

• donate to our Midwifery Service Fund to help us care for our community

• educate your community about home birth and midwives

• educate yourself about the health disparities that are in our country and in your backyard

• refer people to our “Meet the Midwives” gatherings, our breastfeeding classes, and our other events

• stay informed about local politics regarding midwives and reproductive justice issues