{"id":494,"date":"2022-03-30T13:55:12","date_gmt":"2022-03-30T17:55:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/family-planning\/?page_id=494"},"modified":"2026-05-20T16:06:21","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T20:06:21","slug":"doula-state-certification","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/family-planning\/doula-state-certification\/","title":{"rendered":"State-Doula Certification Program"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Find a State-Certified Doula<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>
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Background:<\/h2>\n

Any person seeking to be a Virginia State-Certified Doula under 12VAC5-403 Certification<\/a><\/strong> of Doulas shall be a community-based doula and (i) meet the qualifications and education requirements established in 12VAC5-403 Certification<\/a><\/strong> of Doulas and (ii) hold a certification as a certified doula from a certifying body approved by the Virginia Board of Health. The Virginia Certification Board<\/a><\/strong> (VCB) is the certifying body approved by the Virginia Board of Health.<\/p>\n

The primary goals of establishing State-Certified Doula requirements are to improve the birth outcomes of pregnant women and infants in Virginia through community-based doula services and to eliminate the maternal and infant mortality racial disparities across the Commonwealth.<\/p>\n

What is a State-Certified Doula?<\/h2>\n

Doulas educate mothers to be healthy and have healthy babies, and empower them to confidently make some of the most important decisions of their lives. A State-Certified Doula is a trained, community-based nonmedical professional who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to a pregnant woman. They will support throughout pregnancy, at labor and delivery and continue support after pregnancy period or during the period up to one year after pregnancy.\u00a0 A Virginia State-Certified Doula must be approved by the\u00a0 Virginia Certification Board <\/a>(VCB) .<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pathway to State-Certification:<\/h2>\n

Individuals interested in becoming a state-certified doula must receive training from an approved training entity. After completing the training and obtaining a certificate of completion, they can apply for state certification by submitting an application<\/a><\/strong> to the Virginia Certification Board. If a training entity is not on the approved list, please encourage them to apply or reach out to Consuelo Staton, State Doula Certification Program Coordinator, at consuelo.staton@vdh.virginia.gov<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Approved State-Certified Doula Training Entities:<\/strong><\/h2>\n