Birth Doulas
Strengthen navigation, education, advocacy, and referral skills during pregnancy and birth.
A NEW PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT EXPERIENCE FOR DOULAS
The Doula-to-CHW Bridge™
Community Health Worker Skills for Perinatal Practice
Strengthen the skills doulas already use every day. Learn a more structured approach to resource navigation, advocacy, communication, warm handoffs, documentation, and follow-up while staying grounded in doula scope and client autonomy.
20Contact Hours
3Ethics Hours
6Applied Sessions
More than referrals.
Real support.
Stronger navigation.
Better follow-through.
Stronger navigation.
Better follow-through.
IDENTIFY→CLARIFY→SUPPORT→CONNECT→FOLLOW UP→RESOLVE
WHY THIS COURSE
A referral is not the same as resolution.
Doulas often encounter needs that reach far beyond labor and birth. Transportation, housing, food access, insurance, childcare, employment, mental health resources, lactation support, healthcare access, and social support can all shape a family's perinatal experience.
The Doula-to-CHW Bridge™ helps doulas respond with more structure and confidence. The course teaches Community Health Worker-informed skills that strengthen non-clinical perinatal support without turning the doula into a clinician, case manager, or automatically making them a certified Community Health Worker.
WHO IT'S FOR
Built for doulas who want to strengthen the bridge between families and systems.
Postpartum Doulas
Support families navigating recovery, feeding, resources, mental health support, and basic needs.
Community-Based Doulas
Build stronger systems-navigation and follow-up practices for community-centered work.
Full-Spectrum Doulas
Apply practical CHW-informed tools across diverse reproductive and perinatal experiences.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
Practical skills you can bring directly into doula practice.
01
Scope + Professional Ethics
Know when to support, navigate, refer, or escalate while protecting autonomy and professional boundaries.
02
Social Drivers of Health
Recognize real-life barriers that can shape pregnancy, postpartum recovery, infant health, and family stability.
03
System Navigation
Map resources, verify eligibility, address access barriers, and move beyond passive resource lists.
04
Warm Handoffs + Closed-Loop Referrals
Support meaningful connections and follow through when the first referral does not work.
05
Motivational Interviewing + Health Literacy
Use OARS, plain language, and teach-back to support understanding and self-determined choices.
06
Advocacy + Documentation
Support client voice, document objectively, protect confidentiality, and create continuity through follow-up.
20 CONTACT HOURS
Six sessions. One integrated practice model.
Designed for application, not passive lecture. Expect case studies, role play, resource mapping, documentation practice, and a capstone simulation.
Foundations: Doula Practice, CHW Skills, Scope & Professional Ethics
Whole-Family Assessment, Social Drivers of Health & Perinatal Needs Identification
System Navigation, Community Resource Mapping & Closed-Loop Referrals
Communication, Motivational Interviewing, Health Literacy & Client Education
Advocacy, Documentation, Professional Ethics & Continuity
Integration Lab: Complex Perinatal Case Simulation & Competency Assessment
NOT JUST INFORMATION
Leave with tools you can actually use.
Participants receive a growing Doula-to-CHW Bridge™ Practice Toolkit designed to support real-world application after the course ends.
Doula–CHW Scope Comparison ToolSupport–Navigate–Escalate Decision ToolSocial Needs Conversation GuideCommunity Resource Mapping WorksheetWarm Handoff GuideClosed-Loop Referral TrackerOARS Conversation GuideHealth Literacy + Teach-Back GuideObjective Documentation GuideClient Follow-Up Tracker
CONTINUING EDUCATION STATUS
Built with multi-state continuing education alignment in mind.
The Doula-to-CHW Bridge™ is being developed as a 20-contact-hour professional development and continuing education program, including 3 contact hours in Professional Ethics & Responsibilities.
Continuing education recognition and acceptance may vary by credentialing organization and jurisdiction. State-specific recognition is still being developed and will be announced only after requirements are confirmed.
Important: Completion of this program does not independently certify a participant as a Community Health Worker or authorize clinical practice.
FAQ
Questions people are already asking.
Is this a CHW certification course?
No. The course teaches Community Health Worker-informed skills for doula practice. It does not independently confer CHW certification.
Is this only for Virginia doulas?
No. The course is being developed for a broader doula audience, with multi-state continuing education alignment being explored.
Will I receive continuing education hours?
The curriculum is structured as 20 contact hours, including 3 hours in Professional Ethics & Responsibilities. Acceptance ultimately depends on the participant's credentialing organization and jurisdiction.
Do I need to be a practicing doula?
The course is designed primarily as professional development for trained or practicing doulas and other non-clinical perinatal support professionals.
What makes this different from a resource-list training?
The emphasis is on navigation, warm handoffs, follow-up, ethical decision-making, documentation, communication, and helping participants move from referral toward resolution.
BE FIRST TO KNOW
Interested in the first cohort?
Join the interest list for launch updates, dates, enrollment information, and continuing education announcements.
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