AABC Toolkit - Best Practices in Birth Center Regulations

Regulatory complexity represents a potent barrier to entry for new birth centers and a substantial administrative strain on existing centers, and there is no evidence it enhances safety. States can remove structural barriers and address inequitable access to the birth center model of care by modernizing their birth center licensing regulations, or by introducing appropriate regulations where none exist. 

This toolkit is intended for birth center advocates who are looking to introduce or improve birth center licensure in their states. The following materials define key terms, review common regulatory barriers and introduce model regulatory language to align birth center licensing with best practices and national standards. 

The toolkit includes:

• Best Practices in Birth Center Regulations: A Toolkit for State Policy Makers and Advocates [recorded webinar]
• Model Regulations - Short Form with Deemed Status for CABC Accredited Birth Centers [template]
• Model Regulations - Long Form for State Standards and Inspection Process [template]
• Birth Center Licensure and Regulation - Frequently Asked Questions [FAQ]
• Birth Center Regulation and Access in the United States [map]
• CABC Accreditation: What Policy Makers Need to Know [subject brief]
• AABC Position Statement: Certificate of Need [link (PDF)]
• Advocacy 101: Stakeholder Organization and Outreach [tip sheet]
• AABC State Chapters [link]
• AABC Birth Center Standards [link (PDF)]
• Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers [link]