[The following final update was written by the organization and then sent to us for further sharing.]

We are proud to share that we’ve successfully completed our pilot project facilitating PAVE training, which guides doulas of color on navigating and benefiting from the new Medi-Cal doula reimbursement program. Since the doula benefit program launched in 2023, we've hosted over 12 monthly PAVE trainings from November 2023 to October 2024 both virtually and in-person that have effectively supported an average of 30 participants registered per session through the application process, making it more accessible, affordable, and streamlined. We also co-hosted larger PAVE trainings with partner organizations over the last year with frontline doulas, LA public health department AAIMM, and other entities that had 50-over a 100 registrants per event. Many doulas in our Collective and the broader community have shared that these training sessions have helped them make informed decisions, particularly regarding financial reimbursement processes and overcoming administrative hurdles. We met our goal of offering one training per month, which broadens access to care as these trained doulas are now able to serve Medi-cal clients in LA County and beyond, with the ability to do so over time. During each training, we collect data during the registration which allows us to document details about the attendees and track the impact and success of the training. All of the participants will serve the folks we prioritize; including young people, uninsured individuals, and underserved birthing people who are at the highest risk of preventable maternal outcomes.

We are also proud to share that our full spectrum Doula of Color Trainings were implemented successfully; we trained 91 participants across LA County, including 51 abortion doulas—which is a critical focus given the limited access to support around abortion care, especially with the challenges brought by the Roe v. Wade controversy. These doulas now serve as essential lifelines for people who might not otherwise have support. We also offered 91 scholarships to doulas facing financial barriers, making sure money wasn’t an obstacle to joining one of our training sessions. Over the grant period, we held monthly optional doula training sessions that gave new doulas the tools and confidence to care for families in their own communities, especially for folks on Medi-Cal who might not even know they can access doula support or find it tough to connect with someone who understands their culture and needs. By building up a strong, diverse network of doulas, we’re working to make doula care a standard practice for every pregnancy journey– not just a privilege for those who can afford it, but a resource for all.

Our objectives were to:

• Train more Black, Indigenous, and People of Color doulas, increasing visibility and diverse support for pregnant, birthing, and postpartum families.
  • TOTAL Full Spectrum Doulas Trained: 92
  • TOTAL Full Spectrum Scholarships Offered: 74
    • LA County specific trained 15
  • TOTAL Abortion Doulas Trained: 59
  • TOTAL LA specific Abortion Doula Scholarships Offered: 17
    • Outreach activities at LA Care Baby Shower events, Community health fairs, maternal and infant health conferences, organization presentations, and more
• Increase the number of culturally relevant, skilled doulas serving Medi-Cal recipients.
  • Grew our organization’s Medi-Cal roster from 4 PAVE approved doulas to 13 PAVE approved Medi-Cal doulas serving LA County and supported countless other doulas through our PAVE training and 1 on 1 support offerings.
  • BWOCC Medi-Cal Doulas able to work in community serving as back-ups for each other’s clients
  • BWOCC piloted Medi-Cal Billing Hub for our collective members. We hired an insurance biller and software engineer to help us build out the insurance billing software as well as ensure all policies and protocols remained HIPAA compliant and protected client and doula privacy.
  • We hired a part-time Medi-Cal Doula Coordinator to help onboard new PAVE approved Medi-Cal doulas and provide doula matching services for all community requests for support. This coordinator is an approved Medi-Cal doula and utilizes their lived experience navigating the benefit to offer support and suggestions to improve the experience for new doulas.
  • We are also active participants in the various doula stakeholder groups working at the state and national level. We share any community and doula feedback with insurance health plan partners and government stakeholders. In 2024, Medi-Cal doula reimbursement rates increased but unfortunately due to the lack of infrastructure and staff training at the various health plans, many doulas have yet to be paid their full reimbursement for services. This is a major obstacle to the sustainability of the benefit especially as many of the doulas we support also come from the same communities they serve and rely on the benefit to provide for their families. The news of the various obstacles and challenges of the benefit has been a barrier for doulas to even want to start the process. We are hopeful that our continued advocacy and working in partnership with other community based doula programs, the benefit will improve.
• Host monthly Medi-Cal and doula trainings, with systems to help doulas navigate Medi-Cal admin and payments—ultimately reducing income inequality and promoting income stability in LA County.
  • Total of approximately 30 Registrations per offering.
  • In addition to our regular PAVE training, we offered monthly Doula Coaching and Mentorship sessions for our recent trainees to build the confidence and support to begin their doula practice and start offering services to community members. Topics included Social Media and Branding, Overcoming Imposter Syndrome, Birth Plans, Contracts 101, How to price and promote your services, Herbs and Birthworkers, and more.
  • Lessons Learned - we learned that our community is still becoming aware of what a doula is and how doula support is a critical need for birthing People of Color. Many folks either have never heard of a doula or do not know how to access doula services.