Doula Champions Award Application Criteria
APPLICATIONS ARE CLOSED.
The “Community Doula Champions” Project launches April 17th and continues through Dec. 31st, 2023.
The “Community Doula Champions” Project will provide a $1000 award to up to 12 community doulas (who service South Los Angeles) to cover costs and time spent to become an approved Medi-Cal provider through PAVE as a requirement. In addition to this award, $45 per hour will be paid to attend required orientation meetings and online/in person community engagement events. Doula champions are expected to engage in meetings and events for 12-18 paid hours.
This project will support community doulas in their journey to becoming approved Medi-Cal providers that will provide full spectrum doula care to beneficiaries under Medi-Cal’s various Managed Care Plans.
It is vital that California increases access to community doulas for families that otherwise could not afford one.
The new Medi-Cal benefit helps to do just that. New Medi-Cal benefits take time to implement…There are simply not enough doulas enrolled as providers and contracted with Managed Care Plans to meet the demand for Medi-Cal doulas.
We need more culturally competent doula providers contracted with Managed Care Plans to meet the demand.
We wish to partner with doulas who are active in South LA and service this area in (District 2) to help mitigate the gap in perinatal health care choices.
These awards are directed at providing financial support to doulas serving birthing people in high need, to increase access to doula care while lowering the financial stress and burden of the additional costs associated with the DHCS Medi-cal provider requirements.
This application is open to all community doulas. However, to ensure delivery of the benefit to Medi-Cal beneficiaries with the highest disparities in South Los Angeles, preference will be shown to doulas who share a lived experience with the marginalized communities they have served (African American/Black, American Indian/Alaska Native, Hispanic, Asian Pacific Islander) and other marginalized communities such as LGBTQIA+ folks.(1,2)
Doulas must be committed to exploring the new professional development opportunity as a Medi-Cal approved doula provider. Black and Indigenous Doulas, bilingual doulas, and doulas of all abilities and gender expressions, are particularly encouraged to apply.
In efforts to help cover the costs of and lower the financial burden of becoming an approved Medi-Cal provider, we will award each doula a $1000 plus additional payments of ($45ph) for attendance at orientations and community engagement education events.
In addition, through community outreach efforts, these Community Doula Champions will serve as ambassadors to increase awareness and understanding of doula services as preventative care as well as being supported in the development of their own specialized community resource lists and referral connections. This project is giving specific priority to doulas serving historically marginalized communities.
Doula Workforce Support
Four “Community Doula Champions” will be selected and offered the financial award to support them to apply and enroll in the Medi-Cal doula program. Doula Champions will fulfill the requirements of this award by submitting their electronic application through the Provider Application for Validation and Enrollment (PAVE) online enrollment portal, along with all required supportive documentation.
Community Doula Champions Awards are Based on the Following Criteria:
Please review DHCS Medi-Cal Doula Provider Requirements here.
Independent Contractor Requirements:
Doula lives in Los Angeles County
Doula serves South LA families and/or once an approved Medi-Cal provider, is available to serve families on Medi-Cal, in South LA, District 2.
Doulas of all racial, ethnic or cultural identities may apply, with preference given to those who have experience serving the Medi-Cal community. Specifically South LA. Black, Indigenous, LGBTQIA+, and bilingual Doulas are particularly encouraged to apply.
Doula fulfills the DHCS requirements for applying to the Medi-Cal Doula Benefit via the ‘Training Pathway,’ having completed a comprehensive birth doula training of at least 16 hours with additional cultural competency training (verification will be required). OR fulfills the DHCS requirements via the ‘Experience Pathway’ (attestation and verification will be required). See requirements here: DHCS Doula Application Information
Community Doula Champion applicants agree to submit their electronic application through the Provider Application for Validation and Enrollment (PAVE) online enrollment portal, along with all the required support documentation.
In addition to applying to the PAVE portal through to completion, you must be available to attend paid orientations and 2-4 community engagement events or online events as a Doula Champion, between the dates of May 1st - Dec. 31st, 2023. Paid time for orientations and community engagements will total approximately 12 -18 hours, at a rate of $45 per hour.
Doula agrees to upload required support documents to Frontline Doulas online portal.
Professional doula liability insurance required. Doula may use their award funds to purchase this after acceptance.
Doula attests to a minimum of 3 primary doula experiences.
Doula agrees to start and complete in a timely and self sufficient manner any requirements needed to qualify to enroll as a Medical-Cal provider. See requirements: DHCS Doula Application Information
Doula agrees, once all requirements are met, to immediately begin the enrollment process via the PAVE system.
Access to cell phone, email, and internet required, with computer access highly suggested.
Must be able to respond within 24 hours to requests when emailed or texted by admin.
Must feel confident in sharing project information on doula care, sharing their lived experience as doula, and give information about the Medi-Cal benefit to other doulas as they learn and also give local community resources when attending public events.
Skilled support manner: responsive, professional, engaged, accountable and an active listener.
Doula agrees to follow the Frontline Doulas code-of ethics and the Battling Over Birth Executive Summary Recommendations.
Doula agrees to participate in our basic research questionnaires.
Doula is a legal resident of the U.S and is 18 years of age or older.
This application may take up to 45 minutes to apply. You will need:
CA ID
Photo
Brief Bio
Proof of liability insurance if you have it (if not, this award will help you secure this insurance)
Brought to You by Frontline Doulas
With Funding From
Community Partners:
*This is a public education project. We are an independent perinatal support program and do not work for DHCS, Medi-Cal or the State of California.