Doula Certification Professionalize your services with Lifespan Doulas.
What does it mean to be a certified doula?
Certification for doulas is optional as we are a self-regulating profession. There is no government-mandated regulatory or accreditation entity that oversees doula training and certification programs. Thus, there is no real meaning to a claim of "national" or "international" certification by a training organization. Most doulas are self-employed and can decide for themselves whether they choose to certify.
Certification in the doula world simply indicates that one has completed the requirements of a particular training program. Certification, at a minimum, guarantees that the person calling her/himself a "doula" has:
What is the difference between "certification" and "licensure"?
In the United States, licensure is a function of the individual states. Licensure involves government mandates, fees, and oversight, and is required for many professions such as hair stylists, daycare providers, home health care agencies, and more. Currently, there are no states where doula licensure is required, nor (so far) does this appear to be on the horizon.
Community access to doulas
I have been a leader in the doula community for many years and have witnessed up close the growth of the doula profession. In the push to professionalize our special brand of support services, doula training organizations have created an ever-increasing number of post-training certification hoops for newly trained doulas. These may include documentation and evaluation of hands-on experience with clients, writing essays, extensive reading requirements, ongoing continuing education requirements, periodic re-certification, and more. Last, but certainly not least, is the additional costs involved for the doula in achieving certification/re-certification and the ongoing revenue stream this creates for the training organizations.
What effect do these requirements have on the greater doula community? The addition of certification fees to the cost of training, along with mandated annual membership fees, continuing education fees, and re-certification fees create barriers for lower-income doulas, many of whom cannot afford to become certified after investing in training.
As newly trained doulas begin to provide services, many discover that certification is not necessary. The reality is a large percentage of professional doulas do not choose to become certified. Of those who do complete certification, an even larger percentage decline to re-certify when the time rolls around, as the ongoing value of the certification is uncertain.
Streamlined Certification
We believe that extensive certification requirements and fees are unnecessary to achieve the aim of preparing well-trained, high-quality doulas to serve families in their own communities. Therefore, we have included certification in the cost of training and have removed the barriers.
Certification Essentials
Credentials Earned
Doula Certification Requirements
Birth Doula Certification
Complete the self-paced study modules.
Read four books.
+ Two More Steps
Postpartum Doula Certification
Complete the self-paced study modules.
Read five books.
+ Two More Steps
End-of-Life Doula Certification
Complete the self-paced study modules.
Complete your choice of:
Read four books.
+ Two More Steps
—Jessica Smith, Kenai, AK
Medicaid reimbursement for birth doulas?
Efforts to gain reimbursement for birth doula services to Medicaid-eligible families are underway in a growing number of states. (There is no corresponding effort to provide government funding for postpartum or end-of-life doula services to low-income families.) More than half the states are at various points in the process, including:
- States where legislation has been passed and doulas are actively being reimbursed
- States where favorable legislation has been passed and is in the process of being implemented
- States where related statewide action is underway such as a pilot program or a doula registry
- States where action has been taken but there has been no progress
- States where no action has been taken
Each state must define the requirements for participating doulas. Lifespan Doulas is currently researching these variable requirements to create transparency for aspiring doulas when choosing a doula training program. Learn more about the status of Medicaid reimbursement efforts for birth doulas below.
Attention Birth Doulas in Michigan, California & Rhode Island!
Lifespan Doulas' Birth Doula Training fulfills requirements to qualify doulas for reimbursement for their services to Medicaid eligible clients in these states. More coming soon!
Cross Certification
Did you train with another organization or with Patty Brennan in the past? Cross Certification offers the opportunity to earn your doula certification through Lifespan Doulas.
Cross Certification is for folks who completed professional doula training:
- With another trainer or organization, OR
- With Patty Brennan prior to May 2021 (Birth/Postpartum Doulas) OR
- With Lifespan Doulas prior to March 2020 (EOL Doulas)
Earn your professional certification for life, plus a one-year listing in our Doula Directory, for a one-time fee of $100.