Clinicians for Choice (CFC) is a membership organization affiliated with the National Abortion Federation (NAF), representing pro-choice certified nurse-midwives (CNMs), nurse practitioners (NPs), and physician assistants (PAs) working to increase access to comprehensive reproductive health care.
CFC members support the greater involvement of CNMs, NPs, and PAs in all aspects of abortion service delivery. Our dedicated membership, which includes these three professional groups, works and volunteers in diverse settings, and provides care to women, men, and children. The individual and combined efforts of CFC members positively impact the lives of women and their families all across the U.S. and Canada, every day.
Eighty seven percent (87%) of U.S. counties have no abortion providers. One effective way to increase the number of providers is to permit appropriately trained certified nurse-midwives, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants to provide first-trimester abortions. These clinicians have a long history of responding to health care needs, especially the needs of underserved populations.
It is imperative that clinicians be aware of the medical reality of abortion care and be prepared to:
- respond to patients' needs for medically accurate information,
- offer timely referrals, and
- provide needed care whenever possible.
- Support involvement of midwives, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants in comprehensive reproductive health care.
- Increase education and training for clinicians in areas of reproductive choice and health.
- Advance the scope of practice of midwives, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants to include a full range of abortion services.
The CFC advisory committee is a small group of national experts from each of the three disciplines. The advisory committee helps to identify the areas in which CFC works.
Contacting these CFC members can help pro-choice clinicians who might otherwise feel isolated in their commitment to reproductive choice.
> Download "About CFC" in a printable version you can distribute (PDF file, 29K)
We have identified priority activities aimed at achieving our goals. These include presenting at professional conferences, mentoring clinicians in training, and working within professional organizations on scope of practice issues. Learn how you can get involved
The legal and regulatory issues related to the role of certified nurse-midwives, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants in providing abortion care are a complex intersection of state laws, regulations and rulings regarding scope of practice, prescriptive writing authority, and abortion. More about legal practice issues
NAF exhibits CFC materials and presents medical lectures at a variety of professional conferences.
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