Racial discrimination and implicit bias result in unequal treatment of black women in the medical system. In Rhode Island, black women are 42% more likely to experience a severe complication at delivery than white women and the infant mortality rate for black infants is three times that of white infants. That’s unacceptable. A key strategy to address this issue is making doula services eligible for reimbursement through Medicaid and private insurance and investing in building, supporting, and sustaining Rhode Island’s doula workforce and infrastructure.
Watch this powerful video about how community-based doulas are empowering Rhode Island moms RIght from the Start.
