What Does Membership in the Tennessee Midwives Association Involve?
Updated
The Tennessee Midwives Association (TMA) is an organization of Licensed Midwives serving families across Tennessee in community settings, and its website includes a dedicated Membership section alongside a Members Only area. That structure tells you two things: the association has a formal membership track, and at least some content or resources are reserved for members. The site does not publish membership fees, application requirements, or a list of member benefits, so the only reliable way to learn what joining involves is to open the Membership page and, if you are already a member, the Members Only section.
Who the Association Serves
The site describes TMA as "an organization of Licensed Midwives serving families of Tennessee in a community setting." Two details matter here:
- Licensed Midwives — the membership body is framed around licensed practitioners, not the general public or aspiring midwives.
- Community setting — the focus is on midwives who practice outside hospital systems, typically in home or birth-center settings.
If you are a family looking for a midwife rather than a midwife looking to join, the site's "Find a Midwife" path is the relevant one, not Membership.
What the Site Structure Suggests About Membership
The navigation includes these sections:
| Section | Likely purpose |
|---|---|
| Membership | Information on joining the association |
| Members Only | Gated content for current members |
| Documents | Shared materials (scope not specified) |
| Legal Directives | Regulatory or legal reference material |
| Complaints | A channel for filing or reviewing complaints |
| Regional pages (West/Middle/East Tennessee) | Finding midwives by region |
The presence of a Members Only area implies that membership unlocks something beyond the public pages — but the site does not state what that is. It could be directories, forms, continuing education, or internal communications. Do not assume any specific benefit until you see it listed.
How to Find Out What Joining Actually Involves
- Go to tennesseemidwives.com.
- Open the Membership page from the main navigation.
- Look for an application form, eligibility criteria, dues, and a description of member resources.
- If you are already a member, check the Members Only section for gated content.
- For questions the site does not answer, use the Contact page.
Expected result: You should come away knowing whether you qualify, what the process is, and what you get. If the Membership page is thin or the site is under construction, contact the association directly rather than inferring terms.
Common Sticking Points
- No published pricing. The site shows no fees or payment options. Absence of pricing information is not evidence that membership is free.
- No stated eligibility rules. The "Licensed Midwives" framing is descriptive, not a formal requirement list. Confirm directly.
- Members Only is gated. You will not see what is inside without credentials, so you cannot evaluate member benefits from the public site alone.
- Regional pages are separate. If your goal is finding a midwife rather than joining, start with the West, Middle, or East Tennessee pages.
A Practical Note
If you are a licensed midwife considering joining, treat the Membership page as the starting point and the Contact page as the fallback. The site gives you the categories — membership, member resources, documents, legal directives — but not the terms. Any decision about joining should rest on what the association tells you directly, not on what the navigation labels imply.