VUU rolls out new doula training program

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) -Doulas may be the key to solving a crisis in Virginia as Black women face significantly higher health risks than white women during pregnancy.

Research shows doulas can help reduce that trend.

Virginia Union University is helping to increase that impact by adding another doula training program. It is the first HBCU in Virginia to have two doula certification initiatives.

This new addition is a partnership with the local organization Birth in Color. Founder Kenda Sutton-El says their work is some of the first to begin addressing racial mortality disparities in the Commonwealth.

“Any place could create their own doula program, but why not give back to the organization that actually created the awareness around doulas that actually created the awareness around black maternal health and actually use us as a partnership,” she said. “That speaks volumes about the character of Virginia Union.”

Numbers from VUU show African-American women die at twice the rate of their white counterparts, and infants born to Black women pass away up to three times more than other races in Virginia. Some of the reasoning behind this comes from racial bias in health care, underlying health conditions and lack of quality care.

Doulas are playing a role in changing those statistics.

“People feel a lot more comfortable talking to people who look like them when it comes to anything health-related, and what we do see is a lot of doctors actually thank us because we’re giving them information that they may not have been able to get from the patient,” Sutton-El said.

The Virginia Department of Health is helping fund the program, recognizing the need for more doulas in the Commonwealth.

VUU will also launch Allied Health certifications, beginning with Phlebotomy and CPR, and will represent new sectors for the University.

Sutton-El says there are not enough doulas in the Commonwealth, making it hard for women in certain regions to get the help they need. She wants to make them accessible to anyone who needs them, which could ultimately save lives.

VUU’s new program is playing a role in that effort. It is six months long as participants learn from research and hands-on experiences, including two actual births.

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