The reimbursement program itself represents a critical policy milestone for the state. It was originally established as a key component of House House Bill 33, which served as Ohio’s biennial budget for fiscal years 2024 and 2025. Lawmakers and public health advocates designed the initiative as a targeted strategy to address Ohio’s persistently high infant and maternal mortality rates—a public health challenge that has demanded sustained legislative and community-level attention for years.
Although state agencies and healthcare coalitions have achieved incremental progress in recent years, Ohio continues to face significant hurdles in preventing infant and maternal fatalities, particularly among marginalized and vulnerable populations. Public health officials and policymakers emphasize that much work remains to ensure the health and survival of mothers and infants following childbirth across the state. In this ongoing effort, the integration of doulas into the formal healthcare delivery system through Medicaid reimbursement is widely regarded as one of the most promising and vital strategies available to save lives.
The upcoming webinar aims to bring together policymakers, healthcare advocates, academic researchers, and frontline birthworkers to discuss how the reimbursement program is functioning in practice and what challenges still face doulas operating across urban, rural, and Appalachian communities in Ohio.
The event will feature a prominent lineup of speakers and panelists deeply entrenched in maternal and child health advocacy. The presentation will be led by Elisabeth Burak, a senior fellow at Georgetown University’s Center for Children and Families, who brings extensive national expertise in child health policy and Medicaid financing to the discussion.
Following the keynote presentation, a diverse panel of experienced practitioners and advocates will share their perspectives on the ground level of maternal care. The panel includes Sharda Smith, a family support coordinator and perinatal support doula with Birthing Beautiful Communities; Erica Gordon, a Columbus-based doula and maternal and infant vitality researcher with Wholistically Divine, LLC; and Julie Gladney, a licensed practical nurse, international board-certified lactation consultant, and health programs coordinator at Hocking Athens Perry Community Action who also serves as the Appalachian Community Doula Training Program Coordinator.
The panel is rounded out by Nikki King, a registered nurse, board-certified full-spectrum doula, childbirth educator, and maternal health advocate who serves as the founder of A Queen Empowering Queenz Inc. and Safe and Sacred Care LLC; and Logan Griffin, a birthworker, owner, and director of membership enrichment at Guided Glory Doula Services and the Blaq Birth Circle.
The virtual caucus meeting will be hosted on Zoom, and organizers have opened registration to the public, policymakers, healthcare providers, and media professionals. Interested participants can register online through the designated registration link provided by the Children’s Defense Fund. Event organizers have also confirmed that a video recording of the webinar will be made available to members of the media upon request following the conclusion of the event.
