Meet CIMS
The Leadership Team
The Committees
      The Grassroots Advocacy Committee
      The Evidence and Action Committee
      The Forum Committee
The CIMS U.S. Birth Practices Advisory Council

Meet CIMS

CIMS is a non-profit corporation comprised of our governing and administrative bodies (its Leadership Team and committees), annual members who make formal commitments of support and participation, and the broader community of childbirth organizations, birth professionals, advocates and consumers working towards evidence-based maternity care consistent with the ten steps defined in the MFCI.

As you read about the many exciting opportunities for your participation, we hope that you will be inspired to Get Involved and Support CIMS.

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The Leadership Team

The Leadership Team (LT) is CIMS’ board of directors and serves as the policy-making body of CIMS. The charge of the Leadership Team (LT) is to manage and direct the business affairs of CIMS in furtherance of its mission and strategic goals and allocate the resources necessary to accomplish those objectives. Using the consensus model of decision making, LT members from across the country perform CIMS’ business as a “virtual team” and hold face-to-face meetings only twice a year. Members contribute 10-15 hours/week to the LT and often serve on other CIMS committees as well.

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The Committees

In addition to the “action” committees described below, we have administrative committees for Editorial, Fundraising, Public Relations, Product Development and Coalition Building. Our committees are always open to applications for new volunteers.

• The Grassroots Advocates Committee (GAC)

  The Grassroots Advocates Committee (GAC) is a home within CIMS for grassroots maternity care improvement organizations and activists. Currently, the “Transparency in Maternity Care Project: The Birth Survey” is the primary focus of GAC’s work. To learn more about this project, visit www.TheBirthSurvey.com. Future projects include the “Grassroots Grapevine” where individual activists and organizations across the country can share experiences, templates, how-to’s and enlist support for their maternity care improvement work. Please visit the Grassroots Advocates Committee page for more information about this committee.

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• The Evidence and Action Committee (EAC)

  The Evidence and Action Committee (EAC) oversees the development of all educational and information documents released by CIMS, monitors the evidence basis of the ten steps for Mother-Friendly Care and distributes that information among CIMS members and the public through various mediums and publications. New projects now underway include the development of the online “live” version of the evidence basis document where an updated review of the literature supporting each of the care practices contained within the ten steps will be accessible and a professional line of materials on Mother-Friendly Care. Visit our Evidence and Action Committee page to learn more.

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• The Forum Committee

  The Forum Committee is charged with the annual development of a high-quality educational and networking event that is inclusive of our broad audience of organizations, professionals, advocates and consumers. Planning of the annual Forum begins in May of the year preceding the next year’s Forum. Each year, the Forum Committee develops a theme and invites top leaders and researchers in maternity care to speak, as well as “front line” practitioners and advocates who share their successful models of Mother-Friendly Care with the CIMS community. Participants can earn continuing education credits for their participation. We invite you to join us for the 2010 Mother-Friendly Childbirth Forum, Feb. 26-27, in San Austin, Texas.

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The CIMS U.S. Birth Practices Advisory Council

The CIMS U.S. Birth Practices Advisory Council (the Council) is a distinguished community of the country’s leading researchers, educators, practitioners and experts in the many aspects of Mother-Friendly Care. The Council is committed to serving in an advisory capacity to CIMS in its commitment to Making Mother-Friendly Care A Reality.

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