In this country, outcomes and experiences for birthing people and families are an area of persistent and stark disparity - where numerous systemic failures often converge. Doulas - individuals who provide independent, non-clinical emotional, physical, and informational support to birthing people throughout the perinatal period - have been shown to have a significant impact on a number of facets of perinatal well-being, and many states and collaboratives are making attempts to increase access to doulas as a means to improve care and outcomes for families.
What is the impact of doula care?
What are some of the principles and practices of the work that might be responsible for this positive impact?
As we seek to make this option more accessible to families through mechanisms like Medicaid coverage and volunteer or community-based models, how can we center and protect these principles?
Join us as we dig into different models of collaboration and sustainability, considerations for policy and training, and especially, hear from Vermont doulas, families, and advocates about why this work is a powerful path for activism.