Funding aims to increase access to diverse doula care

The Region 9 Perinatal Quality Collaborative (PQC) co-chaired by U-M School of Nursing professor Lisa Kane Low, Ph.D., CNM, FACNM, FAAN recently received $34,000 in grant funding from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund to increase and diversify the doula workforce. Doulas provide education, physical comfort and emotional support throughout the birthing process. This new funding will assist in improving accessibility to culturally aligned doula support for birthing families to address health disparities and improve birth outcomes. 

Project lead and Region 9 co-chair, Dr. Lisa Kane Low shares her thoughts on the impact of the grant.

“Through community outreach work, we heard more families asking for access to doula services,” Low explains. “We are thrilled to have this grant funding to move forward in response to the Region 9 community desires.”

The grant will support three main components: educating obstetric care providers and birthing women, financially sponsoring a diverse group of individuals to be trained and certified as doulas and developing a mentorship program between current doulas and the new group.

Visit the Region 9 Perinatal Quality Collaborative website for additional information.