DSS, through its RHTP, has announced a partnership between the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), Office on Women’s Health and the Missouri Doula Association (MDA) to expand the rural maternal health workforce.
Administered by DSS, on behalf of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), $732,660.43 was awarded to the MDA to strengthen rural doula training and certification infrastructure across the state. The investment is part of the RHTP and supports efforts to expand community-based maternal health services in rural Missouri.
MDA will expand capacity to train, credential, and integrate community-based doulas and perinatal community health workers (PCHWs) into rural health care teams. These professionals will provide support to Missourians throughout pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum recovery, and the early parenting period. The initiative will establish recruitment pipelines, credentialing systems, and strategic partnerships across Missouri's rural health care network to help address critical maternal health workforce shortages.
Key components of the initiative include:
- Training and credentialing community-based doulas and PCHWs using state-approved curricula, including instruction in maternal mental health, trauma-informed care, and culturally responsive care.
- Building partnerships with rural Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), critical access and community hospitals, and community-based organizations to integrate doulas and PCHWs into local care teams.
- Establishing recruitment pipelines and credentialing systems that support a sustainable maternal health workforce in rural and underserved communities.
- Providing training in Medicaid billing, reimbursement, and care coordination to help doulas and PCHWs navigate administrative systems and sustain their practices.
- Convening monthly stakeholder meetings to strengthen referral pathways, coordinate case management, and improve resource sharing among participating partners.
MDA will administer the initiative by recruiting participants, overseeing training and credentialing activities, cultivating community partnerships, and reporting program outcomes to DHSS throughout the funding period.