Midwifery Care Fund Application

What is the purpose of the Midwifery Care Fund?

The purpose of the Midwifery Care Fund is to increase access to midwifery care and out of hospital birth for at-risk and disadvantaged populations. The initial goal of the fund is to provide, at minimum, a 50% discount on global midwifery services for 1-2 birthing families per year. Global midwifery services cover the entirety of prenatal, labor & birth, and postpartum care for birthing parent and baby.

How is it funded?

The Midwifery Care Fund is funded in a few different ways:

- Whenever any new client starts care with Midwife Courtney, $100 is automatically set aside from each client's fee for the fund.

- Community members who choose to support the Midwifery Care Fund can make donations at anytime directly on the website or in person. There are online options to donate through Venmo and PayPal at www.midwifecourtney.com on the "Give Back" page. Anyone from anywhere can donate any amount! Everyone who donates directly will receive updates about the fund and awards that are disbursed.

- One hundred percent of income generated by affiliate links on www.midwifecourtney.com will automatically be added to the Midwifery Care Fund. These links can be found on the "Shop Amazon" page under the "Give Back" tab on the website. All you have to do is purchase items directly through the links provided. You don't have to pay any more than you would have already paid and you are still supporting a good cause!

Who can apply?

Anyone who can demonstrate that they are at-risk or disadvantaged or have inequitable access to midwifery care and out of hospital birth can apply. Factors that may contribute include, but are not limited to:

- Income
- Race
- Ethnicity
- Gender
- Sexual Orientation
- Circumstance

Are there any restrictions?

In order to qualify for an out of hospital birth with a midwife, the client must be determined to be low-risk at the start of care.

In the state of California, midwifery laws say that someone is eligible for homebirth with a midwife if they give birth to a single baby (no twins or multiples), in the head-down position (not breech), between weeks 37 and 42 of pregnancy. Low-risk also means healthy. Some pre-existing health conditions that would risk someone out of having a homebirth include pre-existing diabetes or hypertension, hyperthyroidism, chronic lung disease, chronic hypertension, severe asthma, epilepsy, some clotting disorders, congenital heart disease (grades 2-4), kidney disease, unresolved STIs and severe malnutrition.

Outside of these pre-existing conditions, risk is assessed by the midwife and the client together through informed choice care, while taking into account community standard. Sometimes, there are certain conditions that arise during pregnancy or labor that will risk someone out of having a homebirth - such as gestational diabetes that requires insulin or development of pre-eclampsia. These conditions make it safer for the birthing parent and baby to be under the care of an obstetrician in the hospital. If a client is risked out of care during the course of their pregnancy/labor, their care will be transferred to their backup OBGYN and their midwife will provide concurrent and/or follow-up care as indicated.

How is the fund awarded?

Once the total funds reach $2,500, posts on social media and www.MidwifeCourtney.com will be sent out, as well as notifications to current Midwifery Care Fund applicants, that the fund is open for award. A short grace period will be given for applicants to update Midwife Courtney with their current pregnancy status and to give others the opportunity to apply. Once the grace period is closed, current applications will be reviewed and an applicant will be chosen to receive the award.

What happens to the awarded funds if the person who is awarded has a miscarriage or is unable to birth at home?

Award of the Midwifery Care Fund does not guarantee an out of hospital birth. Award does guarantee that the client will be given quality midwifery care through whatever circumstances arise. Any surplus of funds that exceed the amount of care given (for example, if the client has a miscarriage) will be placed back into the Midwifery Care Fund. If the client's pregnancy becomes high-risk and the client is risked out of care before 36 weeks of pregnancy, any surplus of funds that exceed the amount of care given will be placed back into the Midwifery Care Fund. If the client becomes high-risk and transfers out of care after 36 weeks, in-labor or postpartum, the terms of the Financial Agreement signed at the start of care are applied.

Important information to know about the fund:

- The Midwifery Care Fund can be applied to midwifery care services with any midwife in San Diego, CA. This is an important part of the fund, because as a midwife, I understand that I may not be "the" midwife for every person out there. The goal of this fund is to provide access to midwifery care, so if you are awarded the funds, you get to choose your midwife and funds will be applied to the care that you receive with that midwife. If you do choose a midwife other than Midwife Courtney, you must give permission for Courtney Scott to communicate directly with your midwife about disbursement of the funds for care received. Funds are dispersed directly to the care provider for services that have already been rendered, not to the client.

- You must be currently pregnant at the time the funds are awarded in order to receive the award. Funds cannot be award to someone who is planning to become pregnant one day or who is trying to conceive. If you are not currently pregnant, but would still like to apply, you are welcome to submit an application and update Midwife Courtney once you have a confirmed pregnancy.

- You may apply on behalf of someone else and nominate them to receive this fund. Please keep in mind that they must meet all of the criteria outlined in the paragraphs above to be awarded the fund.

Application

To apply to the Midwifery Care Fund, please fill out the information below:

*If you are applying on behalf of someone else, please answer these questions about the person you are applying for*

Thank you for applying to the Midwifery Care Fund!