Community-Based Doula Training Program
Our community-based doula training (CBDT) program prepares local individuals to serve families within their own communities.
About the Community-Based Doula Training Program
At OKBEI, our goal is to increase the number of well-trained, caring doulas of and from the communities where high rates of maternal health disparities are most common. We’re committed to preparing caring doulas to serve the Oklahoma populations they identify with, right in the midst of their home communities where their sense of family and connection is greatest. This creates greater access for all.
By educating and preparing local doulas to serve the communities they know and love, we can create a nurturing, safe, centered experience for pregnant Black, Native, Latine, teen and justice-involved individuals.
Our program trains qualified applicants to serve these populations, ensuring that expectant birthing parents and families are treated with dignity and respect from conception to birth and the early months of parenting, when support is most valuable to improving the health of parent and child.
The effectiveness of the program emerges out of the trusting relationship between the community-based doula and the participant, established through the months of pregnancy, birth and early infant care. Consistent, dedicated efforts to center the participant’s experiences and promote their self-advocacy help to ensure happier, healthier, equitable birth experiences for all families in Oklahoma.
Partnering for Greater Impact
Our doula training program is offered in partnership with SisterWeb, a Community Doula Network, based out of San Francisco, with a deep commitment and passion to address the dire pregnancy and birth-related healthcare inequities experienced by Black and Native pregnant and birthing people.
Blossoming Birth is a module-based curriculum and training of trainers (TOT) facilitation guide designed to be adaptable to different communities calling on local wisdom and experts.
Words From our Program graduates
What Does the Training Cover?
Our Community-Based Doula Training Program is the only program of its kind in Oklahoma. It is designed to prepare qualified local applicants to serve their communities. Sessions include:
Am I Eligible?
To qualify for the program, you must:
- Be able to attend all in-person sessions in Tulsa
- Be willing and able to compassionately serve the community
- Though not required, a passion for collaborating with Black, Native, Latine teen and justice-involved parents is a plus
What Is the Cost?
Our program is provided at no-cost to qualified applicants. We even provide a stipend to offset the cost of getting to training as well as childcare during in-person sessions. If you meet the eligibility criteria listed above and are accepted into the program, there’s no cost to you. It’s a great way to train to serve your community!
Frequently asked questions
What Opportunities for Employment Will I Have?
Training with us provides you with many great opportunities for future employment.
Participants who successfully complete our CBDT program are eligible to apply for a position (if available) with OKBEI as one of our community-based doulas. Graduates may also choose to offer services to family and friends. And many choose to start their own doula business.
What Is Required to Earn Training Certification?
Successful completion of our CBDT Program requires meeting the following criteria:
- Attendance at 90% or more of the 20-session classes
- Successful completion of all assignments and homework
- Participation in required experiences outside of class—including 3 or more prenatal observations, childbirth preparation, 3 or more labor and births, 3 or more postpartum observations, and breastfeeding class
