African American Infant and Maternal Mortality Initiative Doula Program

Research points to elevated life course stress as the cause of persistent inequality in birth outcomes facing Black families in LA and nationwide. LA County’s African American Infant and Maternal Mortality Initiative (AAIMM) seeks to address both the causes of elevated stress and the pathway from stressful experience to adverse outcomes through multiple interventions including provision of doula care. Doulas are non-clinical professionals trained to provide support and education to promote the healthiest, most satisfying pregnancy and birth experience possible. The DPH AAIMM Doula Program will deploy and fund a cadre of Black doulas who will be connected with pregnant Black individuals at Century Regional Detention Facility (CRDF). The doulas will provide each client with prenatal, labor and delivery, and postpartum education, support, and advocacy, in an effort to reduce maternal stress and improve maternal satisfaction and birth outcomes. DPH will offer professional development to doulas and promote long-term sustainability of doula care through work with public and private payers.