NARM is pleased to announce that the CPM credential has been accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). The NCCA is the accrediting body of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE), formerly the National Organization for Competency Assurance (NOCA).
To receive the accreditation, NARM submitted an extensive application demonstrating compliance with the strict standards set by NCCA for verifying professional competency. This evaluation included every aspect of the NARM certification program, including: administrative procedures, job analysis, test development, test security, standard setting, eligibility criteria, board responsibilities, ongoing review of all policies and procedures, and verification of reliability and validity of the credential.
NARM has always believed that midwives should be the ones to define their job and to set the standards for demonstration of competency. From the beginning, NARM has sought input from a wide variety of midwives (indeed, from all midwives) in establishing the criteria for certification. NARM was created by and for midwives to maintain the heart of midwifery while establishing a fair way to measure the demonstration of skills and knowledge defined as essential to competent practice. A key component of this process has been the preservation of multiple routes of entry into the profession and the validation of the apprenticeship model of adult education.
It is a milestone in the validation of the CPM credential to receive this designation from NCCA, a highly respected organization whose purpose is to promote excellence in competency assurance. As midwives and midwifery advocates, we are aware of the uphill struggle to receive recognition for the honorable profession to which we dedicate our lives. It is with great pleasure that we share this honor with all the midwives who have contributed to the development of the Certified Professional Midwife credential.
ABOUT NOCA
The mission of the National Organization for Competency Assurance (NOCA) is to promote excellence in competency assurance for practitioners in all occupations and professions. Their accrediting body, the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) was created in 1987 by NOCA as a commission whose mission is to help ensure the health, welfare, and safety of the public through the accreditation of a variety of certification programs or organizations that assess professional competence. NCCA uses a peer review process to: establish accreditation standards, evaluated compliance with these standards, recognize organizations or programs which demonstrate compliance, and serve as a resource on quality certification. NCCA accredited organizations certify individuals in a wide range of professions and occupations.
Many of the credentialing programs certified by NCCA are in health related fields, such as the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, American Association of Critical Care Nurses, ACNM Certification Council, American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers, and the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation. Some are in affiliated fields such as the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification, and the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Body Work. Some of the credentials are unrelated to health care, such as the Certified Financial Planners Board of Standards and the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators. Regardless of the type of profession, the NCCA certification indicates that the credentialing program meets or exceeds the standards set for the development and administration of a valid and reliable credential.