State Policy Lever Checklist: Community-Based Doulas

PRINT

Community-based doulas are trained social service professionals who provide non-clinical emotional, physical, and informational support to birthing people, starting during pregnancy and continuing during the postpartum period.

Rigorous research indicates that community-based doula services are an effective strategy to improve healthy birth outcomes such as reduced rates of preterm birth, low birthweight, and NICU admissions; increase attendance at health appointments; foster nurturing and responsive parenting behaviors; and increase breastfeeding initiation.

This checklist covers the following policy levers states may use to increase access to doulas:

  • Partnership with doulas
  • Insurance coverage
  • Expanding access
  • Workforce supports
  • Funding

State Policy Lever Checklist: Community-Based Doulas

Related

State Policies to Promote Employer-Supported Child Care

Research suggests that the high cost of child care can lead many parents to limit their participation in the workforce, resulting in negative repercussions for families and the economy. Though increased public investment is needed

Approaches to Improving Early Educators’ Compensation

Early educators remain among the most underpaid workers in the nation despite playing a critical role in child development and enabling workforce participation for parents. Across the country, the median wage for early educators is

Partnering to Enhance Nashville’s Early Literacy Landscape with Nashville Public Library and the Begin Bright Program

TRANSFORMATIVE EARLY LITERACY INITIATIVE AIMS TO BUILD FOUNDATIONAL READING SKILLS IN CHILDREN FOR LONG-TERM SUCCESS.  Press Contact: Sydne Lewis, 615-343-9946, sydne.lewis@vanderbilt.edu The Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center is proud to announce the launch of a comprehensive