Program staff presented the midwifery licensing and reporting statistics and described enforcement contacts.

Key figures. Miss Moriarty said that in 2025 the board received multiple new applications and renewals (nine licenses issued in the quarter cited and 63 renewals for the year); transfer‑to‑hospital reporting forms and complaints counts were summarized. The 2024 Licensed Midwife Annual Report (LMAR) submission rates were incomplete: the Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) received 3,370 reports out of an expected 613 (the transcript indicates 613 midwives expected; 243 did not report). The report showed 6,504 total clients served in the year (a decrease of 940), planned out‑of‑hospital labor starts of 4,423 (down from 4,958) and completed out‑of‑hospital births of 3,744 (down from 4,174). Reported fetal demises increased by three to 23; infant deaths decreased by two to 2; no maternal deaths were reported (down from 1 the prior year).

Concerns voiced. Council members and public commenters said the LMAR’s low response rate makes the data nonrepresentative, that the data collection was developed through a contentious process, and that incomplete data can be used by opponents of licensed midwifery. Public commenters (Holly Smith, Amanda Wynne and others) urged the Medical Board to pursue quality‑improvement uses of the data, propose changes to reporting to avoid identifiability (small‑n cells), and consider integration with CMQCC to link outcomes, transfers and vital records to create actionable quality data rather than punitive statistics. Commenters requested removal or redaction of low‑n cells from public reporting to reduce risks to privacy and to prevent misuse.

Board response. Staff said the LMAR is statutory and that nonreporting midwives are noted and that renewal holds can be placed on those who did not report; board staff and members acknowledged timing issues that make late submissions unreliable for an annual report. The council heard that MACA and CALM will host a separate presentation to review findings and recommendations for improving data collection and use.

Why this matters. Complete, accurate and appropriately deidentified data is necessary to evaluate outcomes, design policy and defend against misuse. The council and public commenters urged reforms to ensure the LMAR supports quality improvement and safeguards patient and provider privacy.