Mission, Values, and Commitments

North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) Mission Statement

NARM’s mission is to offer and maintain an evaluative process for multiple routes of midwifery education; to develop and administer a standardized examination system leading to the credential “Certified Professional Midwife” (CPM)®; to identify best practices that reflect the excellence and diversity of the independent midwifery community as the basis for setting the standards for the CPM credential; to publish, distribute and/or make available materials that describe the certification and examination process and requirements for application; to maintain a registry of those individuals who have received certification and/or passed the examination; to manage the process of re-certification; and to work in multiple arenas to promote and improve the role of CPMs in the delivery of maternity care to women and their newborns.

Setting Standards for Midwifery

In response to numerous state initiatives that call for the legalization of midwifery practice and the increased utilization of midwives as maternity care providers, midwives across the United States have come together to define and establish standards for national certification. The North American Registry of Midwives (NARM), the Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA) and the Midwifery Education and Accreditation Council (MEAC) have joined together to create this national, direct-entry midwifery credential to preserve the woman-centered forms of practice that are common to midwives attending out-of-hospital births.

These guidelines for certification have been developed with reference to national certifying standards formulated by the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE) formerly the National Organization for Competency Assurance (NOCA). NARM has received psychometric technical assistance from Mary Ellen Sullivan, testing consultant; the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation Psychometric Research Unit; the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice; Schroeder Measurement Technologies, Inc.; National Measurement and Evaluation, Inc.; and Dr. Gerald Rosen.