Step 1: The Birth Center or Alongside Midwifery Unit Submits Appeal
The freestanding birth center or alongside midwifery unit may submit an appeal to the CABC Complaint Committee (email is acceptable) within 30 days of receipt of the Decision Letter. There is a $1000 appeal fee for the processing of the review. The CABC office then gives the representative(s) access to the birth center or alongside midwifery unit’s project on Basecamp. Within the same 30-day period, the party requesting the review submits the following (via Basecamp project messages and file uploads):
- A copy of the decision being reviewed.
- Clear indication as to which part or parts of such decision is to be reviewed.
- A clear and concise statement as to the grounds for review for each part to which exception is taken.
- All documented evidence to substantiate the request for review.
This collection of documents is known as the Record on Review.
Step 2: The CABC conducts a Board of Review
After the CABC office has received formal written request from the birth center or alongside midwifery unit asking for a review of the CABC’s accreditation decision, CABC will name a Board of Review, which shall consist of at least two CABC Panelists, excluding any Panelist who has functioned as any of the following:
- an Accreditation Specialist to this birth center or alongside midwifery unit in the most recent survey
- a member of the Decision Panel of the survey in question
- personally or professionally associated with this birth center or alongside midwifery unit
- any other conflict of interest
The Board of Review determines if the original Decision Panel acted in accordance with the CABC Indicators or AMU Standards and the CABC’s policies in rendering its decision, as published at the time of the survey in question.
The decision of the Board of Review is reached by a careful review of materials that were available to the Decision Panel, including:
- All documents submitted by the birth center or alongside midwifery unit for the survey, including the Self-Evaluation Report, and any documents submitted by the birth center or alongside midwifery unit before or during the survey
- All reports provided by the Accreditation Specialist
- The report of the Decision Panel
- The Decision Letter
In addition, the Board of Review may:
- Conduct further investigation as it may deem necessary de novo
- Contact the Accreditation Specialists, the Decision Panel members and the birth center/alongside midwifery unit requesting a review
- Request that a birth center or alongside midwifery unit representative appear before the Board of Review
3: The CABC Board of Review renders a Decision
The Board of Review may:
- Ratify the decision of the Decision Panel;
- Overrule the decision of the Decision Panel; or
- Modify the decision of the Decision Panel in whole or in part.
The Board of Review is obligated to render its decision within 90 days from receipt of the written appeal request and send a copy of their decision to the birth center or alongside midwifery unit. Any additional cost incurred by the CABC for the appeal shall be the responsibility of the birth center or alongside midwifery unit.
No appeals shall be considered unless all of the birth center or alongside midwifery unit’s obligations arising out of the original survey, including but not limited to, payment of outstanding bills, are satisfied.