The Road to Licensure of the IBCLC

Abstract

Licensure of the IBCLC has been sought for many years. The purpose of such licensure is to protect the public, advance the profession, and assure access for all mothers to the clinical lactation services of an IBCLC. The path to licensure can be long and convoluted but worth the effort. Thirty-eight states are working on licensure, and two states have achieved this goal. This exploration of the historical context of licensure, the importance of licensure, how licensure happens, and the objections and barriers to licensure endeavors to help light the path to the achievement of licensure of the IBCLC.

Licensure of the International Board Certified Lactation Consultant: A National Necessity in the United States

“…Two states, Rhode Island and Georgia, have achieved licensure (Walker, Aldridge, & Fink, 2017). Licensure acquisition in the United States involves a legislative process (Walker & Aldridge, 2017) whereby a licensing bill is introduced into a state legislature, legislators are educated regarding the bill and urged to vote in its favor, testimony is presented at legislative committee hearings, and if reported out favorably, the bill would be voted on in the full chambers of the legislature, referred to a different committee, or killed. To request that a profession be regulated, some states also require what is called a Sunrise Review, which examines whether or not there is a need to regulate a new profession.…”