The following article is an excerpt from the Frontline Doula press release.
Frontline Doulas and Black Women Birthing Justice announce Launch of Frontline Doula Hotline COVID-19 Initiative: Bridging the Healthcare Gap Between Black/African American Birthing People and Black/African American Doulas During COVID-19.
This initiative will offer no-cost doula support to Black families in California through the following programs:
Black Doula Awards
Beginning July 15th: Our program will sponsor COVID-19 Black Doula Awards to 50 Black doulas serving clients with due dates Aug.1 - Nov. 15th, 2020. To provide a range of doula care to birthing people throughout California, we are focused on supporting doulas who will serve within five regions that exhibit high disparity among Black birthing people: Alameda County, Los Angeles County, the Inland Empire: San Bernardino/Riverside County, Contra Costa County and Sacramento County. Doulas, from each region, will be recruited to provide hotline services in these areas.
Frontline Doula Hotline
Launching August 21st: In this new social era, our modern take on the "hotline" is a respectful "warm line" that adapts to the availabilities and needs of working doulas and families. The hotline will allow 200 Black pregnant and postpartum individuals in California to connect with a community doula through an online intake form. Following their assessment, a doula will be appropriately matched to provide non-emergency emotional support during the pandemic, via phone call or text.
40-Day Postpartum NOURISH! Meals
Beginning August 2020: In partnership with M2M Postpartum Justice Project, we will be providing 480 hot meals, for 6-weeks to Black birthing individuals in Alameda County. From August 2020, these families will receive 40-Days’ worth of Postpartum NOURISH! Meals while receiving support from our doulas. 40 days is a traditional cultural postpartum period of recovery.
