This is a question some doulas contemplate. And it is a valid question because women have been supporting women through childbirth since the beginning of time and should be allowed to do so without any barriers, such as certification. But times have changed, and if we want to recognize doula work as a profession that should be paid for by insurance coverage, it should have structure just like other professions.
My name is Faisa Farole. I am a certified doula with GPS Doulas and Doulas of North America or DONA. I am a licensed midwife. I hold a master’s degree in Maternal Child Health Systems. Each week, I hope to post a blog related to doula work.
Midwifery is one of the oldest professions in healthcare because midwives have been delivering babies since the beginning of time! But if a midwife is to call herself a “midwife,” she still needs additional training that includes apprenticeship; and, in some cases, getting licensed to charge medical insurance. As a licensed midwife, I know this firsthand.
Certification is not gatekeeping or disregarding the fact that women have supported women during labor for ages. It is acknowledging that the doula needs to evolve with time too.
The benefits of becoming a certified doula
For those unfamiliar, certification means that the individual can access up-to-date information about their particular field. Certification infers that a person has gone above and beyond the basic doula training, demonstrating a commitment to the chosen profession. Certification illustrates accountability that the individual belongs to an organization with like-minded individuals that can help support them mentally and emotionally via consultation. Thus, certification is meant to:
- Demonstrate commitment to the profession
- Accountability to the profession, clients, and community
- Protect the families that we serve
Doulas are humans and can sometimes step out of our scope and might cause indirect harm, and we want to ensure our families are protected from such.
Doulas and Medicaid reimbursement
An increasing number of states are passing laws that allow Medicaid reimbursement for doula services. We hope that with the passing of these laws, more and more families will be able to have access to doula services. We have also seen an uptick of new doulas in the past few years in our state, which is great.
Private and Medicaid insurance companies should reimburse doulas who are certified and have taken the extra step to acquire those credentials.
As doulas, we have worked hard and continue to do so to ensure that hospital medical staff sees us as part of the medical team by becoming certified and belonging to a certification body. We hope this builds that relationship between the medical staff and doulas.
Why certify with GPS Doulas?
GPS Certification is one of the pathways that effectively works to remove barriers to becoming certified.
- GPS Certification is financially accessible by offering various pricing options, which include a significant discount for Black and Indigenous doulas.
- We accept various doula trainings.
- We have accepted ancestral or grandfathered doula knowledge. In this instance, the doula must have attended ten births before certification.
- Please take the self-assessment to ensure you understand the scope of doula work.
As we all know, the state of maternal care services is one of the worst in our country; among 11 developed countries, the U.S. has the highest maternal mortality rates. Black and brown women are dying at an alarming rate from (preventable?)pregnancy complications.
I firmly believe that doulas have a vital role in helping prevent some of these preventable deaths because doulas build a special relationship with their clients that allows them to educate in a non-judgmental way and thus gain the trust of their clients. A relationship that most medical providers will never be able to build with pregnant individuals.
I thank you for taking the time to read this post. Please subscribe to our newsletter if you want to be notified whenever I post a new post.
Until next time, keep on doula’ing!
Faisa
