Centering Equity in Maternal Care: Unpacking California’s Medi-Cal Doula Services Implementation
Centering Equity in Maternal Care: Unpacking California’s Medi-Cal Doula Services Implementation
The last ITUP publication, Centering Equity in Maternal Care: Unpacking California’s Medi-Cal Doula Services Implementation, explores the promise and challenges of the Medi-Cal doula benefit through a health equity lens. Drawing on mini listening sessions and expert interviews, the presentation identifies five key implementation barriers—equity gaps, structural obstacles, institutional racism, inconsistent rollout, and hospital integration issues—that are limiting access to doula care for Medi-Cal members.
While the benefit holds transformative potential to improve maternal outcomes and reduce disparities, its success depends on bold, community-centered action.
The presentation outlines strategies for state agencies, managed care plans, hospitals, community-based organizations, and providers to advance accountability, infrastructure, and systemic change to ensure equitable access to this critical non-clinical birth support.
Supported by the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF), which works to ensure that people have access to the care they need, when they need it, at a price they can afford. Visit www.chcf.org to learn more.