COLUMBUS, OH — As communities across the nation observe National Infant Mortality Awareness Month this September, state leaders and maternal health advocates in Ohio are turning their focus toward systemic solutions to a persistent public health challenge. To mark the occasion, the Ohio Legislative Children’s Caucus is scheduled to host a comprehensive webinar to examine the state’s Doula Medicaid Reimbursement Program and evaluate the current landscape of the professional doula community throughout Ohio.
The virtual event, open to the public, lawmakers, healthcare providers, and community advocates, comes at a critical time for the state. Although Ohio has implemented various targeted initiatives and recorded incremental progress in recent years, the state continues to grapple with unacceptably high infant and maternal mortality rates. Policymakers and healthcare experts alike maintain that preventing preventable deaths during and after childbirth requires sustained collaboration, innovative funding mechanisms, and community-driven support systems.
The Doula Medicaid Reimbursement Program represents a cornerstone of these ongoing legislative and public health efforts. Established as an integral component of House Bill 33—Ohio’s biennial budget for fiscal years 2024 and 2025—the initiative was designed to integrate doula care into the state’s broader strategy for combating maternal and infant health disparities. By allowing Medicaid coverage for doula services, the state aims to expand access to continuous physical, emotional, and informational support for pregnant and postpartum individuals, particularly those in historically underserved and high-risk populations.
Despite the implementation of these legislative measures, public health officials emphasize that there is still a tremendous amount of work required to safeguard the lives of mothers and infants following childbirth in Ohio. Systemic inequities, gaps in healthcare infrastructure, and socioeconomic barriers continue to influence birth outcomes across different regions of the state. Consequently, expanding awareness and utilization of the Doula Medicaid Reimbursement Program is viewed as one of the most vital strategies available to save more lives and improve long-term health trajectories for families.
The upcoming webinar will serve as a platform for deep-dive discussions regarding the practical application, successes, and challenges of the reimbursement program since its inception under House Bill 33. Attendees will hear from leading voices in maternal and child health policy, as well as practitioners who work on the front lines of birth equity and community support across urban and rural parts of Ohio.
The virtual caucus meeting is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, and will be hosted via Zoom. Organizers have encouraged interested participants to register online in advance through the designated registration link provided by the Children’s Defense Fund and caucus organizers.
The event will feature a prominent keynote presentation by Elisabeth Burak, a Senior Fellow at Georgetown University’s Center for Children and Families. Burak brings extensive expertise in children’s health policy, Medicaid financing, and maternal health coverage to the discussion, offering a broader national and structural perspective on how states can leverage federal and state programs to improve birth equity.
Following the opening presentation, a diverse panel of experienced birthworkers, researchers, healthcare professionals, and community leaders will share their insights on the ground-level realities of doula care in Ohio.
The distinguished panel includes Sharda Smith, a Family Support Coordinator and Perinatal Support Doula with Birthing Beautiful Communities, who brings frontline perspective on community-based maternal support. She will be joined by Erica Gordon, a Columbus-based doula and maternal and infant vitality researcher representing Wholistically Divine, LLC, who will offer data-driven insights into maternal health outcomes.
The panel also features Julie Gladney, BS, LPN, and IBCLC, serving as the Health Programs Coordinator for Hocking Athens Perry Community Action and Appalachian Community Doula Training Program Coordinator, representing the unique healthcare needs and workforce dynamics of Appalachian Ohio. Nikki King, RN, a board-certified full-spectrum doula, childbirth educator, maternal health advocate, and founder of A Queen Empowering Queenz Inc. and Safe and Sacred Care LLC, will contribute clinical and advocacy perspectives. Rounding out the panel is Logan Griffin, a birthworker and the Owner and Director of Membership Enrichment for Guided Glory Doula Services and the Blaq Birth Circle, who will speak to the experiences of grassroots birthworkers and professional community development.
Organizers have confirmed that a full video recording of the webinar will be made available to members of the media upon request following the conclusion of the event.
