Doula Services Advisory Committee

About the Committee

In 2023, the Tennessee General Assembly passed TN Code § 63-15-101 and created the Doula Services Advisory Committee in recognition of several vital factors regarding doula care.

Pregnant and postpartum women who receive doula care experience improved health outcomes for themselves and their infants, such as higher breastfeeding initiation rates, fewer low birth weight babies, and lower rates of cesarean deliveries.

• The financial impact of doula care can help families and the state by reducing costs associated with low-birth-weight babies, cesarean births, and other pregnancy-related complications.
• The importance of a successful Medicaid coverage program for doula care that respects and supports the autonomy of doulas while being inclusive of various types of birth support work, including community-based and traditional practices.
• The Doula Services Advisory Committee serves to establish an educated and prepared doula workforce in Tennessee that serves pregnant women in the state, specifically focusing on communities facing significant birth disparities.

The Doula Services Advisory Committee is required to:

• Create core competencies and standards for doula services
• Propose multiple options for a Medicaid reimbursement plan, including rates and fee schedules
• Propose incentive-based programs such as fee waivers
• Examine outcomes, findings, and reports from existing doula related pilot programs
• Produce a report to the Legislature within 18 months of the first meeting