The Louisiana Department of Health is accepting applications to the Louisiana Doula Registry. Once registered, doulas can be reimbursed by insurance providers, including Louisiana Medicaid, for up to $1,500 per pregnancy.
LDH’s Bureau of Family Health, which falls within the Office of Public Health, developed the registry in collaboration with the Louisiana Doula Registry Board. The Louisiana Doula Registry will serve as a database of individuals with registered doula status in Louisiana. This registry will include a list of approved doulas eligible for insurance reimbursement and verification for insurance companies, as outlined in Louisiana Revised Statute 22:1059.2.
A doula is an individual who has been trained to provide physical, emotional, and educational support to pregnant and birthing women and their families before, during, and after childbirth. For doulas registered with the Louisiana Doula Registry, this support includes non-medical support and education but not medical or midwifery care.
The benefits of doula care on pregnancy outcomes have been documented in numerous studies and include:
-Fewer cesarean sections,
-More spontaneous vaginal births,
-Shortened duration of birth,
-More maternal satisfaction postpartum,
-Higher breastfeeding rates, and
-Lower rates of preterm labor and low birth weight.
Doulas seeking inclusion in the registry must complete the application at ldh.la.gov/page/DoulaRegistry. The application will collect the following information:
-Identifying information/demographics: Legal name, date of birth, address, phone number, email address, recent photograph, National Provider Identifier (NPI)
-Education: High School Equivalency Test (HISET), GED, high school, college, graduate school
-Qualifications: Experience and training pathways, duration of practice
The Louisiana Doula Registry Board will review applications, granting approval or issuing rejections for inclusion on the Louisiana Doula Registry, quarterly beginning in March 2025.
For more information, visit ldh.la.gov/page/DoulaRegistry or email DoulaRegistryBoard@la.gov.