Background:
Any person seeking to be a Virginia State-Certified Doula under 12VAC5-403 Certification of Doulas shall be a community-based doula and (i) meet the qualifications and education requirements established in 12VAC5-403 Certification of Doulas and (ii) hold a certification as a certified doula from a certifying body approved by the Virginia Board of Health. The Virginia Certification Board (VCB) is the certifying body approved by the Virginia Board of Health.
The primary goals of establishing State-Certified Doula requirements are to improve the birth outcomes of pregnant people and infants in Virginia through community-based doula services and to eliminate the maternal and infant mortality racial disparities across the Commonwealth.
What is a State-Certified Doula?
Doulas educate mothers to be healthy and have healthy babies, and empower them to confidently make some of the most important decisions of their lives. A State-Certified Doula is a trained, community-based nonmedical professional who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to a pregnant person. They will continue support throughout pregnancy, at labor and delivery and continue support after pregnancy period or during the period up to one year after pregnancy. A Virginia State-Certified Doula must be approved by the Virginia Certification Board (VCB) .
Pathway to State-Certification:
For individuals who are interested in becoming a doula, All training must be provided by an approved Virginia Certification Board Doula Training Entity. Once an individual completes the training and obtain a certificate of completion, they can apply to become a state certified by the Virginia Certification Board.
- Be sure to keep all your training certificates.
- Fill out VCB's State-Certified Doula Application.
- When completing the application, indicate that you are applying for State Certification.
Doulas who completed some training on the education and training topics listed within three years prior to January 6, 2022, from a doula training entity on the approved list, can apply to become state certified by the Virginia Certification Board.
If a Doula’s Doula training entity is not of the approved list, please contact them to encourage them to apply to the Virginia certification Board or reach out to the VDH contact, Consuelo Staton, consuelo.staton@vdh.virginia.gov
Pathway 2 is for State-Certified Doulas who completed some training on the education and training topics listed here within three years prior to January 6, 2022, but have not completed the entire 60 hours.
- Gather training certificates from any training on the required education and training topics received within three years prior to January 6, 2022. These trainings must have been provided by an approved Doula Training Entity .
- Fill out VCB's State-Certified Doula Application. When completing the application, indicate that you are applying for State Certification under Pathway 2.
- Submit Training documents with the application.
Approved State-Certified Doula Training Entities:
- BEST Doula Training (Postpartum training only. This is acceptable for certification, but not for Medicaid approval)
- Birth Arts International
- Birth In Color RVA
- Commonsense Childbirth Training Institute
- Mother of Civilization Birth Services: This is your Birth Email: mocbirthservices@gmail.com
- New Beginnings Doula Training
- SMC Full Circle Doula Birth Companion Training
- Urban Baby Beginnings
Apply to Become a Medicaid Provider:
- Once you are State-Certified Doula, you can apply to become a Medicaid provider. Go to: Community Doula Program | DMAS - Department of Medical Assistance Services (virginia.gov) to learn more about this application process.
- Once you become an approved Medicaid provider, contact VCB to update your doula registry profile.
How to Get Involved:
If you are a doula, community advocate, legislator, neighbor, faith leader, colleague, health care provider, public health professional, partner, friend of a pregnant person, a person who is planning to be pregnant, or any other interested person, find out more information by contacting Consuelo Staton, Virginia Department of Health, consuelo.staton@vdh.virginia.gov, (804) 864-7673.