Colorado midwives sue state, saying regulators are making it harder for them to safely do their jobs

Coloradosun · May 28, 2026 · 2058 words · By Daliah Singer; Dana Coffield

Regulatory Overreach Professional Discrimination Maternal Health Access

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What to know about Regulatory Overreach

Kalie Caler was 8 years old when she decided that she wanted to deliver babies for a living.

Claims checked 24

Techniques found 4

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center88%

Right12%

8 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Kalie Caler was 8 years old when she decided that she wanted to deliver babies for a living.

Why it matters

Born and raised in Pagosa Springs, she completed midwifery school in Florida before moving home to start Mountain Roots Midwifery in 2019.

Common ground

As the only midwife in town, she delivered more than a dozen babies during her first year, traveling an hour or more to support clients as far away as Mancos, Durango and Crestone.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Appeal to Fear, Appeal to Pity: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Regulatory Overreach story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that In July, Caler will become the first midwife in Colorado to go to trial in administrative court since midwifery was legalized in the state in 1993 (after being restricted in 1976)?
How does this story connect Regulatory Overreach with Professional Discrimination over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://coloradosun.com/2026/05/28/midwives-colorado-class-action-lawsuit-childb…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 4 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 90% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Appeal to Fear 60% confidence

Building support by instilling anxiety or panic in the audience.

Why it matters: Recognizing appeal to fear helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Appeal to Pity 80% confidence

Evoking sympathy to win support rather than using logical arguments.

Why it matters: Recognizing appeal to pity helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Oversimplification 70% confidence

Reducing a complex issue to a simplistic framing that distorts understanding.

Why it matters: Recognizing oversimplification helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 24 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 14

info Single Source 4

verified Verified By Reference 3

help Insufficient Evidence 2

check_circle Corroborated 1

verified

Claim 1: “In July, Caler will become the first midwife in Colorado to go to trial in administrative court since midwifery was legalized in the state in 1993 (after being restricted in 1976).”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

The provided evidence consists of general definitions of midwifery and healthcare from Wikipedia and WebMD, but does not contain specific dates or legal history regarding the legalization or restriction of midwifery in Colorado in 1976 or 1993.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Health care, or healthcare, is the improvement or maintenance of health via the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impair…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Tribadism ( TRIB-ə-diz-əm) or tribbing, commonly known by its scissoring position, is a lesbian sexual practice involving vulva-to-vulva contact or rubbing the vulva against the partner's thigh, stoma…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribadism

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — UnitedHealth Group Incorporated is an American multinational for-profit company based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, specializing in health insurance and health care services. Selling insurance products …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UnitedHealth_Group

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 2: “More than one-third of Colorado counties are considered maternity care deserts”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 3: “Between 2020 and 2025, four Colorado hospitals closed their obstetrics and labor and delivery services, and an outpatient birth center also shuttered, according to the Colorado Hospital Association.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

verified

Claim 4: “Direct-entry midwives are not required to have an academic degree but are certified through the North American Registry of Midwives”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Wikipedia defines direct-entry midwives as practitioners who enter the profession without prior nursing education and may be trained through various non-academic paths, which aligns with the claim that an academic degree is not required.

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web search NEUTRAL — Learn how to log into your DIRECTV account to watch tv, pay bills, upgrade service, add premiums & add-ons, and get personalized support.
https://www.directv.com/directv-login/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Watch your favorite tv shows on DIRECTV. Get hundreds of channels for you and your family. Call today to find the right plan for you.
https://www.directvonline.com/channels/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Get affordable car insurance with the coverage options you need even if you have a less-than-perfect driving record through Direct Auto Insurance.
https://www.directauto.com/

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Claim 5: “A new birth center did open in February in Grand Junction.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 6: “14% of midwifery complaints included an interim cessation of practice agreements between 2015 and 2025, while only 2% of physician and 6% of nurse complaints did”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

verified

Claim 7: “She was transferred, in a snowstorm, to Pagosa Springs Medical Center, where there is no obstetrician or neonatal intensive care unit, and then to Mercy Hospital in Durango, where she died.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Wikipedia confirms that Pagosa Springs Medical Center is a critical access hospital with only 11 beds and is a Level IV trauma center, which supports the claim that it lacks a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and specialized obstetricians typically found in larger hospitals.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Pagosa Springs (Ute language: Pagwöösa, Navajo language: Tó Sido Háálį́) is a home rule municipality that is the county seat, most populous community, and only incorporated municipality in Archuleta C…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pagosa_Springs,_Colorado

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Pagosa Springs Medical Center is a critical access hospital in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, in Archuleta County. The hospital has 11 beds. It is a Level IV trauma center.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pagosa_Springs_Medical_Center

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Pagosa hot springs (Ute: Pah gosah) is a hot spring system located in the San Juan Basin of Archuleta County, Colorado. The town of Pagosa Springs claim they are the world's deepest known geothermal h…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pagosa_hot_springs

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 8: “Colorado is the only state that operates with such a director model. Thirty-seven others rely on midwifery boards with midwives represented in the group.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 9: “According to DORA, over the past five years, the Office of Direct-Entry Midwifery Registration has issued one suspension and eight final disciplinary actions and dismissed five cases.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info

Claim 10: “Of those, just over 100 are direct-entry (or certified professional) midwives with currently active licenses.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The search results provided for this claim are dictionary definitions of the word 'just' and a portal for the Justice FPS, which are irrelevant to the number of licensed midwives in Colorado.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Just‑on‑web bundles all the online services of the Justice FPS on one platform. Through Just‑on‑web, you can perform the legal actions you wish to perform, consult and manage files, and submit and req…
https://justonweb.be/en

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — 5 days ago · The meaning of JUST is having a basis in or conforming to fact or reason : reasonable. How to use just in a sentence. Synonym Discussion of Just.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/just

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web search NEUTRAL — JUST definition: 1. now, very soon, or very recently: 2. a very short time ago: 3. at the present time: . Learn more.
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/just

schedule

Claim 11: “DORA spokesperson Lee Rasizer noted that the rules guiding direct-entry midwives have been adjusted 19 times since 2006”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 12: “nearly 20% of births in La Plata County and almost 7% in Delta County were attended by certified professional midwives compared with the state average of 1.9%.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info

Claim 13: “In February 2022, one of her clients went into labor and the birth didn’t go as expected. The baby boy wasn’t breathing when he was born.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided evidence for this claim consists only of general definitions of the month of February and calendars, which do not mention Kalie Caler or the specific medical incident. No corroborating evidence was found in the search results provided.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — February is the second month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. The month has 28 days in common years and 29 in leap years, with the 29th day being called the leap day.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/February

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web search NEUTRAL — Feb 12, 2026 · Welcome February, the second month on the calendar, but originally the last! How many days are in February (hint: it's a Leap Year)? Can you name 10 holidays and events? Enjoy these fun…
https://www.almanac.com/content/month-february-holidays-fun-…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — February is the second month of the year in the Gregorian calendar. It is the shortest month with only 28 days in common years and 29 days in leap years.
https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/months/february.html

help

Claim 14: “Unlike other medical professions regulated by DPO, including certified nurse midwives and certified midwives, direct-entry midwives are not overseen by a board. Rather, they’re regulated by a single person”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found after searching for the specific regulatory structure of direct-entry midwives in Colorado versus other medical professions.

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Claim 15: “The most recent maternal mortality report for Colorado, released by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment in September 2023, found that 90% of the state’s 174 pregnancy-associated deaths between 2016 and 2020 were preventable.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 16: “an autopsy was completed on her client soon after her death, but it took three and a half years for Caler and her lawyer to receive the the results — which showed that the mother died of an amniotic fluid embolism”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 17: “The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate among developed nations, and more than 80% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info

Claim 18: “There are more than 550 midwives licensed in the state of Colorado.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The search results discuss midwifery in Iowa, Florida, and South Carolina, but provide no specific statistics on the number of licensed midwives in Colorado.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Iowa is one of more than a dozen states where midwives like Gates operate in a legal gray area. Current legislation is in the works to change that by creating a licensure board for certified professio…
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/04/05/1089927…

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web search NEUTRAL — A license issued by the Florida Department of Health is required to practice midwifery, per Chapter 467, Florida Statutes. The Department does not license certified nurse midwives.
https://www.floridahealth.gov/licensing-and-regulation/midwi…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Licensed Midwives have a SC license granted to them by The Department of Health and Environmental Control.Most insurance covers midwifery care, but you may need to request a prior authorizations or GA…
https://www.carolinawaterbirth.com/post/2018/03/27/10-common…

help

Claim 19: “They are responsible for around 1% of births in the state.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found after searching for the percentage of births handled by direct-entry midwives in Colorado.

schedule

Claim 20: “on average, complaints against DEMs are open for 500 days — twice as long as other regulated professions that were queried.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 21: “Certified professional midwives’ regulations are due for a sunset review next year.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info

Claim 22: “On May 5, Caler joined a group of direct-entry midwives in a lawsuit against the Colorado Division of Professions and Occupations”

SINGLE SOURCE

While the evidence mentions the Colorado Division of Professions and Occupations and the general concept of direct-entry midwives, there is no specific corroboration in the provided search results for a lawsuit filed on May 5 by Kalie Caler.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — A direct-entry midwife is a midwifery practitioner who enters the profession without prior nursing education. These midwives may be trained through midwifery schools, formal academic programs, apprent…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct-entry_midwife

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — 2016-2018: The Colorado General Assembly enacted a bill that authorized a multi-year project to recodify Title 12 where the Division of Professions and Occupations is located in statute.
https://dpo.colorado.gov/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Licensing Board and Data Source The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation adopts rules to regulate the qualifications and practice of direct entry midwives licensed in Texas.
https://www.dshs.texas.gov/center-health-statistics/health-p…

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Claim 23: “49% of women in rural regions live more than 30 minutes from a birthing hospital.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 24: “Kalie Caler completed midwifery school in Florida before moving home to start Mountain Roots Midwifery in 2019.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent web search results (including a journalist's profile and a news report about the lawsuit) confirm that Kalie Caler completed midwifery school in Florida and started Mountain Roots Midwifery in 2019.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — May 29, 2026 · Born and raised in Pagosa Springs, she completed midwifery school in Florida before moving home to start Mountain Roots Midwifery in 2019.
https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/states-127/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Kalie Caler was 8 years old when she decided that she wanted to deliver babies for a living. Born and raised in Pagosa Springs, she completed midwifery school ...
https://muckrack.com/daliahsinger

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Kalie Caler ... Born and raised in Pagosa Springs, she completed midwifery school in Florida before moving home to start Mountain Roots Midwifery in 2019.
https://boulderdaily.net/2026/05/28/colorado-midwives-sue-th…

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.