The federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) recently awarded HealthConnect One (formerly Chicago Health Connection) a 2-year grant to provide training, technical assistance, and cross-sited evaluation to a cohort of six new HRSA-funded community-based doula programs across the country. The result of tireless advocacy by the HC One national community-based doula network and other MCH stakeholders around the country, this is the first federal funding stream for community-based doula programs. Congratulations to all of you who helped to make this vision real!
HC One also extends sincere appreciation to Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill., and Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill., for their support of community-based doula programs, and to President Barack Obama, who demonstrated his support of the community-based doula model as a previous co-sponsor of Senator Durbin's funding request.
The community-based doula model has received increasing media attention the past few years, as people have begun to comprehend its effectiveness. According to HRSA’s press release of Oct. 3, 2008, “Doulas provide culturally sensitive pregnancy, breastfeeding and childbirth education and counseling. They also promote links to health care and social services, labor coaching and parenting skills.” Catalyst Chicago describes the impact in an article of Jan. 6, saying, “Helping young moms bond and build a healthy relationship with their baby before it is born are the first steps that, down the road, foster school readiness and better performance in school, say early childhood experts.” Following the HC One model, community-based doulas mentor women within their own communities during pregnancy, and for at least 12 weeks following birth.
As the Community-based Doula Leadership Institute, HC One is thrilled to partner with:
- Access Community Health Network, Chicago, IL
- Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention, Atlanta, GA
- Migrant Health Promotion, Weslaco, TX
- Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, Onamia, MN
- Queen of Peace Center, St. Louis, MO
- Tewa Women United, Espanola, NM
In December 2008, HC One gathered these fellow grantees for an introductory training on the Community-Based Doula Model, in connection with the inaugural meeting of the Advisory Board for the new Community-based Doula Leadership Institute. The Advisory Board discussed opportunities to promote the use of the community-based doula model, potential advocacy to encourage public/private partnerships in order to advance fiscal sustainability of community-based doula programs, and plans to evaluate the outcomes from HC One’s network of community-based doula replication sites.
To join the HC One Doula Network and receive regular e-mail updates, please send your request to laura@lmcalpine.com. For more information, see:
· HRSA Awards $6.3 Million to Launch New Parents Initiative, ‘Doulas’ Training - http://newsroom.hrsa.gov/releases/2008/doulastraining.htm
· The HealthConnect One Doula Replication Program - http://www.chicagohealthconnection.org/doula/nati_repl.htm