Table 2.
Specific Needs Identified by Volunteer Doulas
| Increased support | • Support groups for the doulas to share their experiences and problem-solve |
| • Phone access to the trainer/program director as a resource | |
| Increased education | • Ongoing education programs on specific topics, as well as continuing education to develop their skills for labor support (e.g., “advanced doula skills”) |
| • Specific education topics suggested included: women with history of sexual abuse, substance abuse, and domestic violence; and resources for women with limited incomes, limited or no health insurance, and housing difficulties | |
| • Increased cultural sensitivity and knowledge; specifically, ways to address language barriers primarily for Spanish-speaking immigrants | |
| Greater resources | • Development of center space for the doulas to use for study |
| • Web-based resources | |
| • Books, videos, materials | |
| More doulas | • Scholarships for women who cannot afford the cost of doula training |
| • More frequent doula trainings | |
| Orientation to the volunteer program | • A specific orientation to being a volunteer of the Doulas Care program compared to being a “doula for hire” |
| • Education about community resources for pregnant women and their families | |
| Infrastructure support | • Phone cards to cover the cost of long-distance calls |
| • Tracking and follow-up procedures for all women who call the program | |
| • Evaluating mechanisms to assess how the doula is doing | |
| • Increased funding to cover out-of-pocket expenses such as parking |