:
Frontier
Focused on the Mission
Faces of
Kathryn Schrag, CNM
FNU Faculty Member
T
he story of Tucson’s birth center, the
Birth and Women’s Health Center, would
not exist without the hard work and
dedication of Kathryn Schrag. A Certified
Nurse-Midwife and FNU faculty, Kathryn
founded the birth center in 1981. The first
baby was born there September 8th, 1982,
and so 2012 marks thirty years of service to southern Arizona women.
The birth center’s story began three years before its birth, when
Kathryn accepted her first midwifery position with The El Rio Midwives
at El Rio Health Center in Tucson, Arizona. Mariann Shinoskie, director
of the practice, hired Kathryn and in 1981, they left El RIo to open
Arizona’s first birth center. Thirty plus years later, they have come full
circle as the birth center is now a part of El Rio Health Center.
The Birth and Women’s Health Center (BWHC), is one of the country’s
oldest birth centers and enjoys a national reputation as a model for
providing innovative high quality services. Licensed by the state
of Arizona and nationally accredited by the Commission for the
Accreditation of Birth Centers, it has been involved in three national
research studies demonstrating the safety of birth center care for low
risk women. Most third party insurers and Medicaid pay for women to
use the center.
women have the right to options in
their pregnancy and birth care, and
that a CNM-obstetrician provider
team, and a birth center-hospital
continuum should be available to all
women. Kathryn shares, “In addition
to touching the lives of families in
a powerful way, the birth center
model is seen as part of the solution
to a broken health care system as
it appropriately utilizes resources
and thus saves precious financial
resources. Additionally, as the ideal
place for the midwifery model of
care, it is a wonderful laboratory for
the education of students!”
Celebrating
30 years of
TUCSON’S
BIRTH
CENTER
Over the decades, the midwives of Birth and Women’s Health Center
have cared for over 10,000 pregnant women, offering the choice of
birth at the freestanding birth center or at the nearby Tucson Medical
Center. Currently six midwives attend approximately 50 births per
month with half of them occurring in the homelike environment of
the birth center with four suites with birthing tubs, a kitchen, and
living room. The 6,000 square foot building also houses offices for
prenatal and gynecological care, and a busy community room.
The enduring commitment of Kathryn and all of the midwives, of
El Rio Health Center and the families they serve, and the Tucson
community has been remarkable, although not surprising as the
benefits of the birth center are many. There is a shared belief that
Kathryn and Judith Treistman, President & Director of Education, 1989- 1993,
Frontier School of Midwifery & Family Nursing
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Frontier
Focused on the Mission
Faces of
The Many Ties to Frontier: Since the inception of Frontier’s
Community-based Nurse-Midwifery Education Program (CNEP),
BWHC has been a clinical site for Frontier students, and has hired
its graduates. Dozens of midwifery students have worked with
the practice. Sandra Macon CNM (class 52) is currently a full time
midwife at the center. Susan Yount CNM, PhD (faculty at FNU) works
with the practice part time. Janice Rodenberg CNM was a student
(class 3), a birth center midwife, served as Frontier faculty, and now
works with the El Rio Midwives, as does Kerry Griffin CNM (class 52).
Judy Butler CNM, one of the birth center staff midwives, is currently
a student in DNP Class 9. Kathryn Schrag CNM, FNP (FNU faculty)
is president of the local Friends of the Birth Center and Midwifery
advisory group. Judith Treistman CNM was President and Director
of Education, 1989- 1993 for the Frontier School of Midwifery &
Family Nursing and is a birth center grandmother, a vital member
of the Friends of the Birth Center and Midwifery, and also a board
member for the El Rio Foundation.
Other accomplishments: Kathryn served as an FNU preceptor for
several years before joining the faculty. She has taught the How to
Start a Birth Center Workshops for the American Association of Birth
Centers for 15 years (FNU CNEP students attend). She has also been
a volunteer site visitor for the Commission for the Accreditation of
Birth Centers for 20 years and received the National Professional
Achievement Award from the American Association of Birth Centers
in 2010.
Read an article from the Arizona Daily Star about the Birth and
Women’s Health Center celebration:
http://azstarnet.com/news/science/health-med-fit/birthwo m e n - s - ce n t e r - m a r k s - ye a r s - o f - s p e c i a l - d e l i ve r i e s /
article_2662bd24-1df2-55eb-b868-defc5bd6bae5.html
Birth and Women’s Health
Center, Tucson, Arizona
2 of 2
October 10, 2012 11:35 AM
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