A Community Doula is a paraprofessional who will work with at-risk pregnant and parenting families and their babies, to promote healthy pregnancies, breastfeeding, and parent-infant attachment. The Community Doula Navigator is responsible for providing services to ensure quality care and access to necessary resources for clients to provide a seamless system of service and supports for women, children and families with Urban Baby Beginnings.

The Doula is a member of our UBB team, working collaboratively with Case Managers and other staff. The goal is to improve birth outcomes, pair families with needed services, and reduce maternal/infant deaths.

This is not a work-from-home position. Hiring FT 2 positions.  Richmond/Petersburg and surrounding areas (1) & Newport News/Norfolk and surrounding areas. 

Maternal Health Outcomes

• Ensure that high-quality, culturally tailored social support is promoted as the standard of practice staff to clients, stakeholders, and the community.
• Ensure centering parenting/pregnancy, prenatal, postpartum, and newborn classes are offered to participants each month.
• Carry out outreach contacts with local community partners to ensure updated information is shared related to services provided by UBB, i.e., program, classes, support.
• Work to ensure program is meeting goals and outcomes as set by program directors.
• Provide 1:1 support to clients through telehealth platform, in-person visits, group facilitation, and enhanced case management.
• Initiate contact with families as early in pregnancy as possible, managing a caseload of moms and babies.
• Provide labor and birth support in hospital to qualifying families.
• Seek to establish a trusting relationship with the expectant parent, provide comprehensive education.
• Complete doula visits with pregnant and parenting families in their homes and other locations such as doctor’s office, clinics, hospitals, or other locations.
• Provide check ins via phone and video with all clients on caseload.
• Provide evidence-based information and resources to expectant, postpartum. families and their children who have been heavily impacted by COVID19.
• Assist with birth planning and lactation support.
• Conduct neighborhood canvassing and street outreach to increase program awareness.
• Providing education and materials to key influencers, such as barbers/hair stylists, coaches, fraternity members, pastors, neighborhood leaders, front-line workers, etc.
• Conduct phone-based outreach.
• Conduct presentations to consumer and resident groups in person and via social media.
• Provide information on immunizations to individuals visiting health and social service organizations and facilities.
• Assist with data collection and documentation of outreach activities.
• Build health literacy and community trust in health systems.
• Support individuals with management of longer-term side effects of COVID-19 illness.
• Connect individuals to services to address social and health needs through the UBB electronic health worker and follow up with individuals at various time points to verify linkage to services.
• Assist with diaper pantry organization, distribution, and community fair attendance.

UBB Orientation & Support

• Complete home visiting online training as assigned
• Complete all paperwork within 24 hours of assignment
• Maintain complete and organized home visitor files
• Maintain electronic records for all services provided
• Complete weekly supervisory sessions with coordinator

Case Management (95% requirement)

• Conduct weekly/bi-weekly prenatal, postpartum visits for billable clients and others who may qualify for our services in the home, hospital, and clinics
• Attend a minimum of 12 births per year and maintain a caseload of 50 active prenatal/postpartum clients at all times accordingly
• Maintain organized and complete client files
• Research and provide community resources for clients on the ReByrth® virtual platform
• Support Doula concierge and support groups
• Maintain 90% retention rate on assigned clients
• Maintain a minimum of 95% completed home visits for active clients, establishing a trusting relationship with at-risk families by initiating and maintaining regular client contact

Data & Compliance Management

• Maintain organized and complete client documentation files within 24 hours of visit.
• Work closely with the coordinator to ensure compliance.
• Track and provide accurate screening tools for each client, within our program timelines for screening.
• Communicate with Coordinator regarding compliance issues.
• Report program trends to the team.

General Staff Responsibilities:

• Participate in staff meetings, conferences, training sessions and workshops as assigned.
• Demonstrate familiarity with employment policies, performance standards, work plan and objectives of program.
• Maintain congenial and respectful relations with staff, children, families and community.
• Maintain confidentiality regarding staff, program, and participant information.
• Maintain objectives and professional standards.
• Improve self-skills and education.
• Perform any other work-related duties as requested by Coordinator or Director.
• Be present at work to provide consistency of services.
• Be a contributory team member in a positive/productive manner.
• Demonstrate commitment to mission, values, and policies in the performance of daily duties.
• Other duties as assigned

Duties and responsibilities:

• The Doula will provide culturally sensitive support and serve as a role model in general, also will be a member of the team and work in a context of supervision and support.
• Initiate contact with families as early in pregnancy as possible.
• Seek to establish a trusting relationship with the expectant parent, provide comprehensive education.
• Assist in labor and delivery as support staff. Attend birth and provide support through labor and delivery as well as the initial hours postpartum.
• Complete visits with pregnant and parenting families in their homes and other locations such as doctor’s office or other prenatal appointments.
• Provide individual and/or group education related to prenatal, postpartum, and newborn care
• Assist with lactation support as a peer support specialist.
• Attend bi-weekly/monthly conference calls/office meetings/required trainings
• Collect, maintain and chart required documentation within 24 hours of visit
• Maintain postpartum contact for a predetermined time period
• Maintain confidentiality of clients.
• Work cooperatively with other staff and serve as a resource to them.
• Attend community-based recruiting sessions and events.

REQUIREMENTS FOR ELIGIBILITY

• 2 years of direct patient experience; maternal health experience a plus
• Schedule flexibility to include day, evening, weekend, and on-call work
• Completion of training through Urban Baby Beginnings
• Experience in developing trusting relationships with high-risk prenatal clients and team members preferred.
• Knowledge of women’s health during the childbearing years
• Self-motivated, self-starter, with strong oral and written communication skills.
• Graduation from Bachelor’s Degree program plus 2 years of work experience required; health or human services preferred but not required.
• Previous doula experience with prenatal, birth and postpartum experience preferred
• Adequate means of transportation with ability and willingness to travel up to 45 miles from office radius (Richmond, Central VA, Tri-Cities, Petersburg)
• Desire to work with children and their families regardless of socioeconomic status or housing situation
• Current physical examination, immunizations including TDAP, and TB screen documentation upon hire & signed by medical provider
• Active and unencumbered driver’s license + automobile insurance
• Background and sex offender check clearance
• Ability to establish relationship of trust and respect with staff, families, and children.
• Strong facilitation and presentation skills
• Strong communication and writing skills
• Experience collaborating with a variety of staff
• Strong attention to detail
• Experience in working with communities of color and strong racial, disability, gender and economic justice framework
• Commitment to anti-oppression and de-colonization work with a focus on racial equity and reproductive justice, specific to birth justice
• Passion for and commitment to the mission of UBB
• Aptitude for solving problems with creativity and resourcefulness
• Ability to develop positive relationships with clients, home visitors, providers, staff
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Applications, especially Excel and Word, Google
• Apps for work, social media platforms
• Program may have independent requirements as contracts and state guidelines apply so this is subject to change
• Computer literacy required

UBB is an equal-opportunity employer and is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace.

COMPENSATION: PT Hourly, Birth Attendance Stipend

Urban Baby Beginnings is a Drug Free, Smoke-Free workplace