The NCIT Capacity-Building Hub, along with the Los Angeles African American Infant and Maternal Mortality Prevention Initiative, Every Mother Counts, Restoring Our Own Through Transformation (ROOTT), and the National Health Law Program, invite you to the webinar, Improving Birth Outcomes: Strengthening Awareness of and Support for State and Community Doula Networks.

Doula care is a method for improving birth outcomes and reducing rates of maternal morbidity and mortality among birthing people of color. However, in many states doula care is not routinely covered by health insurance and doulas aren’t seen as instrumental members of the birthing team. Thus, intentional collective efforts should be made to recognize, promote and compensate doulas for their role in achieving equitable outcomes. In addition, making doula care sustainable is an important step in ensuring that birthing people with the highest prevalence of adverse birth outcomes have the support they need before, during, and after pregnancy. 

Join this webinar on Tuesday, October 5 at 1:00 PM ET.

In this webinar, participants will hear about: 

• What doulas do and different models of doula support.  
• The evidence on the benefits of doula care and how doula care can help address birth equity.  
• Which states have proposed and enacted doula policies with a focus on Medicaid coverage.  
• Key considerations in operationalizing a high-quality LA County community doula program focused on addressing birth disparity, inclusive of hiring, training, funding and program design.  
• A Black women-led advocacy organization in the state of Ohio that offers affordable doula services, health-care provider trainings, and organizational consultation. 

Presenters

• Alexis Robles-Fradet, M.P.H,
  Policy Analyst
  National Health Law Program 

• Melissa R. Franklin, Ed.D., M.B.A. 
  Chief Executive Officer
  Growth Mindset Communications 
  Pritzker National Fellows Network 
  Los Angeles African American Infant and Maternal Mortality Prevention Initiative 

• Michelle L. Sanders, Doula, CLEC 
  Doula Program Coordinator
  Division of Maternal, Child, & Adolescent Health 
  Health Promotion Bureau at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health 
  Los Angeles African American Infant and Maternal Mortality Prevention Initiative

• Jessica Roach, M.P.A.
  Founder and CEO
  Restoring Our Own Through Transformation (ROOTT) 
   
• Nan Strauss, J.D.
  Managing Director of Policy, Advocacy, and Grantmaking
  Every Mother Counts ​

Facilitator
Andrea Palmer, Program Officer, Pritzker Children’s’ Initiative