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Trump signs order seeking to end federal funding for NPR and PBS; NY immigrant wrongfully sent to El Salvador 'supermax' prison; PA 'Day of Action' planned for higher minimum wage, immigrants' rights; New bill in Congress seeks to overturn CA animal welfare law.

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National Security Advisor Mike Waltz is leaving that job to become UN ambassador, bipartisan Arizona poll finds Latino voters dissatisfied by Trump's first 100 days, and Florida mass deportations frighten community members.

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Rural students who face hurdles going to college are getting noticed, Native Alaskans may want to live off the land but obstacles like climate change loom large, and the Cherokee language is being preserved by kids in North Carolina.

Doula access in Ohio at risk in Nursing Board certification controversy

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Monday, March 24, 2025   

Tensions are rising in Ohio between doulas and the state Board of Nursing, as only a small number of doulas have been able to be certified for Medicaid reimbursement - despite a statewide push to reduce infant mortality.

More than 60,000 births in Ohio each year are covered by Medicaid. Research shows having a doula can lower risks for both moms and babies.

But only 132 doulas statewide are certified to receive Medicaid payments.

Dr. Marie McCausland, who chairs the state's Doula Advisory Group, said to meet the demand, about 3,000 need to be certified.

But she contended the certification process has been anything but collaborative - and called it "top-down and exclusionary."

"Day one, the first meeting, they already had almost all the rules written," said McCausland. "They sent it to us and we were supposed to start there, versus any sort of collaborative writing of the rules."

She said she recently discovered she's being removed as chair after a quiet legislative change that stripped doulas of their ability to lead the advisory group, effective April 9.

The Ohio Board of Nursing said in a statement the leadership change was made for consistency with other professions.

But McCausland said even doulas serving non-Medicaid families are sometimes being turned away, because they don't hold the new certification.

Guillermo Bervejillo, research manager with Children's Defense Fund Ohio, said the governor made doula access a priority, but the Board of Nursing may be undermining that effort.

"Gov. DeWine made it a priority to reduce infant mortality, especially amongst Black children," said Bervejillo. "He created a doula advisory group. The doula advisory group has faced obstacle after obstacle. It's been kind of wild. It feels like the governor doesn't even know what's going on."

McCausland said there also are concerns about racial bias and representation.

She said Black voices on the advisory group have been ignored, even scrubbed from official meeting records - prompting the group to hire a court reporter.

"Doulas are happy to come into hospital systems and work with doctors and nurses," said McCausland. "We want to be able to work as a team for our client success."

The Board of Nursing says it values the input of doulas and that the advisory group includes health professionals from a range of backgrounds.

The board says it is committed to improving maternal health outcomes and continuing to refine the certification process.


Disclosure: Children's Defense Fund-OH Chapter/KIDS COUNT contributes to our fund for reporting on Children's Issues, Education, Health Issues, Hunger/Food/Nutrition. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


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