Birth Prenatal & Postpartum Doula

Job Description: Birth Prenatal & Postpartum Doula

Reports to: Doula Program Intake Coordinator

Status: Full-Time

Location: On-site

Salary

$26.00 per hour

We are building a team of Community-Based Doulas (Certified) to help pregnant people have a positive birthing experience and adjust to parenthood after their babies arrive.

Essential duties and responsibilities

· Conducting prenatal consultations to explore Client’s birthing preferences and discuss any concerns.

· Creating birthing plans that outline the delivery room’s environment or home birth setting, who will be present and whether Clients want pain relievers.

· Assisting with preparations for the child’s arrival, such as setting up the nursery or running errands.

· Attending the birth and providing emotional and physical support for clients throughout labor and delivery.

· Acting as an advocate for Clients to ensure medical providers adhere to their wishes.

· Providing advice about nursing and assisting with childcare during the early postpartum period.

· Staying up to date with the latest research on childbirth, prenatal care and infant growth and development.

· Providing the mother with emotional, physical, moral, and educational support, especially during times when the father and other close relatives are unavailable.

· Listening to the concerns and questions of the mother in a kind, nonjudgemental way and offering the best possible advice.

· Attending prenatal meetings to get to know the mother and establish her birth preferences and other requirements.

· Remaining with the mother throughout labor and providing physical and emotional support during and after childbirth.

· Visiting the home of the mother once she has been discharged and assisting with the care of the baby while the mother heals.

· Providing practical support and advice to the mother after childbirth, like organizing the nursery, running errands, and assisting with breastfeeding and meal preparation.

· On-call 24 hours during last month of pregnancy.

· Keeping up to date on childbirth support, birthing techniques, and pre and post-natal care by conducting research.

· Assisting in whatever way possible to make the transition to motherhood easier.

· Meet pregnant people’s physical, emotional, spiritual and educational needs, playing an important role in the prenatal and postnatal care team.

· Help parents recover from labor and delivery and reduce the stress associated with newborn care.

· Participate in mandatory trainings.

· Schedule appointments and navigate Clients through health system barriers.

· Initiate communication with patients making supported referrals to address the full spectrum of Client’s needs.

· Provide the mother with emotional, physical, moral, and educational support, especially during times with the father and other close relatives are unavailable.

· Attend prenatal meetings to get to know each other and establish Client’s birth preferences and other requirements.

· Remain with the mother throughout labor and providing physical and emotional support during childbirth and in the immediate postpartum.

· Visit the home of the mother initially and once she has been discharged and assist with the care of the baby while the mother heals.

· Provide continuous Doula services that meet the DONA International Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics to women during their births.

Qualifications

· Knowledge of child birthing and nursing techniques, non-medicinal pain management strategies and childcare best practices.

· Interpersonal skills to inspire trust and build strong relationships with Clients.

· Active listening skills to fully understand Clients’ preferences and needs.

· Verbal communication skills to facilitate conversations with Clients, their families and medical providers.

· Problem-solving skills to manage issues that arise during and after delivery.

· Organizational and time management skills to deliver care for multiple Clients at one time.

· Computer skills for emailing, client relationship management, billing and using word processing software.

· Recordkeeping skills to log hours worked and services performed.

Experience requirements

· Previous birthing experience to perform job duties.

· Acquire this experience through a formal training program or volunteering to assist friends and family during birth.

· Previous experience with infant care, such as working as a babysitter or a daycare teacher, may also be beneficial.

· Meet minimum education or training requirements for organizational participation in Medicaid.

· Earning a certification through an approved organization like Doulas of North America International (DONA) or the Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association (CAPPA).

Doula targetted case management (Tcm) peer and housing support

Key Duties Include

· Participates in staff meetings and other group activities essential for the operation of effective services.

· Assumes on on-call responsibility as assigned.

· Must have reliable transportation and insurance for managing prenatal and postpartum home visits.

· Assess and begin to address client housing histories and barriers – positive references, credit history, rental history and prior evictions, criminal history, registered sex offender status, outstanding debts, outstanding warrants. Using housing history to inform preparation work, complete early to avoid surprises.

· Assess for potential to re-connect with family/friends for housing.

· Assess eligibility for permanent housing resources – deposit/move-in financial assistance, rapid re-housing, affordable housing, and permanent supportive housing.

· Assess the client’s financial and resource situation and potential budget for housing – help with income and benefits acquisition, develop plan to help fund move-in costs.

· Help clients create tenant resumes – key information to use on housing application.

· Help clients identify and pursue other potential housing opportunities besides permanent supportive and affordable housing.

· Help clients tour neighborhoods and properties – address rejections as part of reality testing – “at least look at the place, you don’t have to take it”, provide options and discuss trade-offs.

· Help clients complete and submit required housing applications and other materials, including Doula Peer and Housing Support and/or other support person(s) on applications as a contact. Include release of information. Include advocacy/support letters with initial application.

· Help clients complete housing program or site-specific paperwork to obtain particular units or subsidies.

· Assist clients with obtaining the resources necessary to apply for and move-in to housing (application fees, security deposits, first month’s rent, moving service, furnishings, bedding, etc.).

· Support clients in preparing for housing interviews or other meetings that impact their ability to obtain permanent housing.

· Assist clients in responding to rejections; help request reasonable accommodations or appeals when appropriate.

· Utilize information and housing specialist(s) to find landlords that will accept housing subsidies for clients approved for voucher or tenant-based housing subsidy programs.

· Assist clients with move-in to new unit and with transitioning support to permanent supportive housing service provider(s) and/or other resources.

· Complete unit inspection and document any damage or issues prior to move-in.

· Review key elements of rental agreement and expectations to ensure understanding. Review any subsidy agreement as well, if needed.

· Establish utilities for the housing unit. Apply for low-income assistance utility programs.

· Assist with obtaining furniture, fixtures, and other move-in needs.

· Update address with key agencies and contacts including the post office, health insurance, public benefits, and service providers.

· Establish method for ensuring rent payments made on time.

· Develop a housing crisis response plan outlining plans if challenges arise that may jeopardize housing stability including key emergency contacts for service and housing-related issues (Example – WRAP plan or Housing Advance Directive). Possible housing challenges include – mental health/substance use relapse, health and cognitive issues impacting ADLs/IADLs, non-payment of rent, conflicts with neighbors or landlords, IADLs/ADLs, unauthorized guests, hoarding/cluttering, smoking and fire hazards, plumbing/flooding issues.

· Transition ongoing supports to appropriate service providers and natural supports using a critical time intervention model.

· Create a Housing Plan.

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits: Health insurance

Paid time off

Work Location: In person