For birthing families in Northern New Jersey, care is not just something that happens in a clinic or hospital. It shows up in living rooms and waiting rooms. In deep breaths during labor. In late-night texts after a hard day. In someone finally feeling heard. That is the heart of the community-based doula work at…
In recognition of maternal mental health awareness month, this blog highlights a recent HealthConnect One study that looked at the acceptability of Mental Health First Aid training among community-based doulas. According to a recent National Institutes of Health (NIH) study, perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) are on the rise in the United States. At HealthConnect…
In 2023, HealthConnect One, in partnership with The Center for the Study of Social Policy, introduced innovative Early Relational Health training modules.
With great enthusiasm, HealthConnect One co-partnered with SisterWeb is pleased to present The Doula Data Consortium Time Use Study webinar and toolkit. The Doula Data Consortium was formed on September 21, 2021 by SisterWeb Community Doula Network in San Francisco, CA in co-creation with HealthConnect One as a way to easily share research and help…
“Everything” – that’s what one doula said when asked what she liked best about the HealthConnect One (HC One) Community-Based Doula evaluations during the accreditation process completed by Open Arms Perinatal Services (OAPS) in July. “I liked the laid-back and comfortable conversations we had. I liked that the HC One team felt like they were…
Welcome to the second installment on our 2022 Birth Justice Year in Review. In my first post, I introduced the Healthy Youth Development Strategic Partnership team and our commitment to Birth Justice. I also discussed the importance of community-based doulas and other perinatal birth workers in closing equity gaps for birthing families. In this second entry,…
As National Breastfeeding Month wraps up, HealthConnect One is eager to highlight the importance and impact of breastfeeding peer counseling services in Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities. Breastfeeding peer counselors often identify as an experienced parent and confidant who offers culturally appropriate support and information, identifies breastfeeding and lactation challenges, and provides strategies to help…
For many Black birthing families across the country, breastfeeding intention and initiation continue to pose a challenge. From the presence of infant formula in maternity wards to the failure of healthcare providers to encourage Black Breastfeeding to the lack of community support for Black Breastfeeding, the breastfeeding inequity gap continues to widen. At HealthConnect One,…
Last week, HealthConnect One joined Finger Lakes Performing Provider System, Finger Lakes Community Health, and the Healthy Baby Network launched the Rochester Doula Hub. This timely collaboration will provide culturally reflective community-based doula support to improve Black birth outcomes in Rochester. Health inequities have long been tied to racism, poverty, physical environment, and stress, all…
Doulas play a crucial role in combating the discrimination, racism, and loss of autonomy thatBlack and Brown birthing people experience due to historical disinvestment. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE // September 29, 2021 Through its System Transformation and Community Investment Program, Finger Lakes Performing Provider System (FLPPS) is partnering with Healthy Baby Network, HealthConnect One, and Finger…
–> En Español <– Hi! I’m Cassie, a Mexican mom and doula from Chicago! I have one adventurous toddler I keep close to me. We are inseparable, and our bond came right away. Here’s a little bit about our journey together… I am as determined as my toddler. When I decided I wanted to have an…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE // August 26, 2021 Trenton, New Jersey – The New Jersey Department of Health today announced the award of a grant to HealthConnect One to develop a diverse community doula workforce to support women during pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding and early parenting. HealthConnect One will establish a Doula Learning Collaborative to increase the…
Presentado por: Dámarys Crespo-Valedón y Yamellies Rivera González Desde que comenzό la pandemia por el COVID-19, las promotoras de la salud que están al frente de esta pandemia, tienen altos niveles de estrés. Estos niveles elevados de estrés pueden dañar nuestro bienestar mental y físico. Este taller de autocuidado es para trabajadores comunitarios de salud…
In celebration of Black Breastfeeding Week (Aug. 25 through Aug. 31), we compiled a list of organizations and online groups that provide breastfeeding support for moms. If you’re an expectant mom who wants to learn more about lactation or you’ve already delivered your baby, it’s important for you to get the support you need to…
During this pandemic, HealthConnect One (HC One) continues to provide training and consulting to organizations across the country. The rise in COVID-19 cases makes community-based doulas, even more, important in supporting moms and babies especially “pregnant Latina and Black women who are infected at significantly higher rates than white women.” Data shows that community-based doulas…
by Amber Pendergraph, Community-Based Doula with BirthMatters Talk about Pure Awesomeness! I recently had the honor of being grandfathered into a Community Health Worker (CHW) course. The course was followed by a certification exam to become a certified community health worker for South Carolina! The training I attended was facilitated by Julie Smithwick. I thoroughly…
Thank you to Wesley Bugg, for taking the time this Father’s Day to share about the organization he founded, called Reaching Our Brothers Everywhere (ROBE). What is the goal of ROBE? The goal of Reaching Our Brothers Everywhere is to provide men with culturally appropriate information and resources that allow them to more fully…
Read – Moms and babies in Michigan receive the gold-standard of care through Black Mothers’ Breastfeeding Association’s community-based doula program “Black Mothers’ Breastfeeding Association (BMBFA) in Detroit, Mich., has successfully received national accreditation through HealthConnect One’s (HC One) Community-Based Doula Accreditation Program. BMBFA underwent a rigorous process in which the HealthConnect One Accreditation Team reviewed…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contacts: Diana Pando, HC One Communications Coordinator 312.498.4067 dpando@healthconnectone.org Kiddada Green, BMBFA Founding Executive Director 313.400.1215 KiddadaG@BMBFA.org Moms and Babies in Michigan Receive the Gold-Standard of Care Through Black Mothers’ Breastfeeding Association’s Community-Based Doula Program DETROIT, MICHIGAN – Black Mothers’ Breastfeeding Association (BMBFA) in Detroit, MI has successfully received national accreditation…
Read – MEET THE NEW GROUP READY TO TRANSFORM BREASTFEEDING ACROSS THE NATION CSI’s Inaugural National First Food Racial Equity Cohort develops pathbreaking vision In March 2016, Center for Social Inclusion (CSI) hosted the first convening of the new national First Food Racial Equity Cohort in Washington, DC. The national First Food Cohort is a…
Watch – Community-Based Doula Programs: Innovative Program Model that Supports Families Presented by HealthConnect One Program Staff Brenda Reyes and Tikvah Wadley as part of the CDC-USBC Bi-Monthly Coalitions Webinar Series
Interview with Joia Crear-Perry, MD We caught up with Dr. Crear-Perry over email to learn about her work with the National Birth Equity Collaborative and how she came to be such a strong advocate for moms. Here is what she shared: What is your name? How many children do you have and what are their ages? I…