DEANNE R. WILLIAMS PUBLIC POLICY FELLOWSHIP

Please note:  The deadline for this year's applications has passed

The A.C.N.M. Foundation, Inc. is currently accepting proposals for the first-ever Deanne R. Williams Public Policy Fellowship. This year’s fellowship award is being supported in part by the Teresa Marsico Memorial Fund.

Program Description

The purpose of this award is to publish a “white paper” that revisits and reframes the evidence collected over time that documents the safety, cost effectiveness and unique contributions of midwifery care as provided by CNMs and CMs. Using a public health model (access to care for women of all means, a focus on prevention and an interdisciplinary approach), this publication will use documentation from a variety of sources to assist the reader in making the connection between the unmet needs of the population and the potential offered by the collaborative and creative utilization of CNMs/CMs.

Reference must be made to key policy and quality documents (ex: Institute of Medicine) along with documentation that the values shared by policy leaders are an integral part of midwifery care. New information in this document will need to include descriptions of successful models of midwifery care.

The Foundation will name a voluntary advisory committee of experienced professionals in the areas of public health, health policy and women’s policy (and other areas as appropriate) to advise and support the Fellow in the completion of their work. Additional editorial support will also be provided by experienced editors.

This award is not limited to CNMs/CMs; proposals are welcome from professionals in all areas of healthcare and public policy.

Amount of Award
The award will be for a maximum of $7,500 (based on a demonstrated budget).

Application Requirements

• 1-2 page summary of proposed work, including specific policy areas to be addressed, examples of recent research and other documentation that will be sited, and how the work will help further policy goals of importance to the midwifery community
• Project budget and timeline
• If desired, suggestions for experts who may be candidates for the Advisory Committee
• A minimum of one reference from someone who has worked with the candidate on a similar project

Selection Criteria

Proposals will be assessed on the following criteria:

• The candidate’s previous professional experience (for example: policy, public advocacy, government relations, health care practice, etc.) and demonstration of expertise
• Assessment of writing style and ability. An emphasis will be placed on an ability to write in a style that makes complex policy issues accessible and adaptable to a wide range of audiences.
• Ability to work with and utilize an advisory committee
• Ability to learn and work in areas that are not the candidate’s primary area of expertise
• Recommendations received from provided reference(s)

Timeline

Proposal Deadline:                                November 14, 2008
Fellow Selection and Announcement:       December 19, 2008
Delivery of White Paper:                        Before April 1, 2009

Expected Deliverables
Written white paper for wide public distribution will include approximately 12 pages of documentation plus references and a 2 page executive summary. Method of publication will be determined based on timing, and other needs and considerations, and will not be limited to professional journals. The author may, with prior approval from the A.C.N.M. Foundation, submit a synopsis or other iterations of the paper to a professional journal or other publication. Unless otherwise specified in the final contract with the fellow, all deliverables will be published in the name of the A.C.N.M. Foundation, with attribution to the primary author and recognition of the advisory committee and funders.

Applications must be received on or before November 14, 2008. Please send project summary, budget, timeline and references to:

Susan Berkun
Director, A.C.N.M. Foundation, Inc.
8403 Colesville Road, Suite 1550
Silver Spring, MD 20901
sberkun@acnm.org
(electronic submissions are encouraged)

About the A.C.N.M. Foundation, Inc.
The American College of Nurse Midwives Foundation, Inc. was established in 1967 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the provision of high quality maternal, newborn, and well woman health services through the practice of midwifery. The Foundation collaborates closely with and complements the goals of the ACNM.  Please click here for more information about the Foundation.

About the Williams Fellowship
This fellowship has been established in honor of former A.C.N.M. Executive Director Deanne R. Williams, CNM, MS, FACNM, and her long and distinguished career in midwifery and public policy. Throughout her nearly 30 years of commitment to the field, Deanne has consistently demonstrated how to be proactive, rather than reactive in the policy arena, and our intent is for this fellowship to build on this strategy. This first fellowship is being supported in part by the Teresa Marsico Memorial Fund, which was created through an estate gift by Teresa Marsico – a past president of the ACNM – to expand the capacity of the A.C.N.M. Foundation and the ACNM to meet the needs of the midwifery profession.

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