Become a Maternity Care Coalition Doula and Lactation Community Health Worker!
Maternity Care Coalition's Community Doula and Lactation Program equips you with the tools to support pregnant and parenting families!
The Community Doula and Lactation Program offers community members a comprehensive training grounded in Reproductive and Racial Justice. The program supports pregnant and parenting families by pairing them with trained Doula and Lactation Community Health Workers (DLCHWs). It also offers workshops and trainings for childbearing families and the birth worker community.
Our DLCHW training consists of 27 sessions facilitated by our Training Coordinators and guest facilitators from the community. Through this training, participants prepare to work in emerging and vital jobs that impact maternal and infant health outcomes, particularly for Black and Brown families. A DLCHW supports and empowers people throughout their childbearing and early parenting journeys. This work engages people not only as birth workers, but also as advocates and activists seeking racial and reproductive justice well beyond childbearing experiences. DLCHW trainings are held in six counties: Philadelphia, Montgomery, Delaware, Chester, Berks, and Bucks Counties.
The training consists of 27 3.5-hour sessions, totaling 88 hours. Generally, there are at least three sessions per week (one full day and a half day), which take 9-10 weeks to complete.
Participants are allowed to miss two sessions. Most trainings are during the daytime, typically from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. There is one evening training per year that rotates across each county, typically from 5 P.M. to 8:30 P.M. The DLCHW trainings are hybrid, consisting of in-person and virtual sessions. Childcare is available for in-person training days.
Training is at no cost to community members. Each training has twenty participant spots.
An ideal training candidate is an individual who resides in the county where the training is taking place, is seeking employment opportunities, and is available to serve families within their designated county as an active doula with Maternity Care Coalition's Doula Network.
If you are interested in DLCHW training, please email [email protected]. You will then receive emails containing information for the upcoming DLCHW training information sessions, which typically occur two months before the training starts.
If you are already a trained doula, we ask that you consider joining our Doula Network by emailing us.
Joining the network allows you to be matched with clients and receive payment to provide doula support services. You could also receive extra training, professional development opportunities, and peer networking.
Doula and Lactation Community Health Workers provide crucial support and advocacy during a period of extreme vulnerability. They are essential to reducing racial disparities and improving maternal health outcomes.
If you are interested in engaging with this vital work, we would love to be a part of your journey!