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Birth Center Accreditation
What is the CABC?
The Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers is the only accrediting authority dedicated exclusively to the quality of the operation and services of all birth centers regardless of ownership, primary care provider, or population served. The American Association of Birth Centers (AABC ) established the CABC in 1985 as an independent authority after more than a decade of:
- Evaluating the quality of birth center services
- Promoting the development of national guidelines for licensure
- Reviewing state regulations for birth centers
- Exploring and evaluating the programs of other accrediting agencies
AABC developed the first national Standards for Birth Centers. A two-year pilot program to develop and test the optimum mechanism for evaluating the quality of care in birth centers and their compliance with established standards provided the foundation for the operation of today's CABC.
The CABC has been independent from the AABC since January 1, 2002. The CABC work is performed by a paid administrator and volunteers who are professionals in obstetrics, family practice, midwifery, nursing, neonatology, pediatrics, public health, and birth center administration. The CABC also includes representatives of birth center consumers. Commissioners establish the policies and procedures of the CABC and serve on accreditation panels to evaluate each applicant center's compliance with the established standards.