LA County Board

13. Implementing Medi-Cal’s Doula Benefit in Los Angeles County\nRecommendation as submitted by Supervisor Mitchell: Instruct the Director of\nPublic Health, in collaboration with the Director of Health Services, the\nExecutive Director of the Anti-Racism, Diversity & Inclusion Initiative, managed\ncare plans (MCPs), health care delivery system stakeholders, and key\ncommunity partners, to report back to the Board in writing in 60 days with a\nproposal, including cost estimates and identification of potential State, Federal,\nand philanthropic funding sources (as a source of ongoing funding), to create\n(directly or through a contract with an outside agency) a hub for doula service\nproviders to increase access to doula services, with the report to include an\noption for the hub entity to either contract with MCPs and subcontract with\nindividual doula providers, to simplify contracting and billing, or to offer doula\nproviders robust technical assistance to contract and directly bill MCPs or to\nexplore both options, the report should also identify any other doula provider\nneeds that can be addressed by the hub and incorporate proposals to meet\nthose needs; and instruct the Director of Public Health, in collaboration with the\nDirector of Health Services and the Executive Director of the Anti-Racism,\nDiversity & Inclusion Initiative, to report back to the Board in writing in 45 days\non additional options to support the doula workforce and expand doula access\nin the County, including:\nEnhanced efforts to increase the size and diversity of the County doula\nworkforce by coordinating resources for pre-service and in-service\neducation for doulas and doula trainees;\nOpportunities to utilize existing and new funding resources to expand the\nDepartment of Public Health’s African-American Infant and Maternal\nMortality’s capacity to support the Medi-Cal doula benefit rollout as part\nof a larger person-centered approach to pregnancy and birth (e.g.,\nmidwifery models of care, freestanding birth centers, group prenatal\ncare, home visiting, etc.);\nAny additional proposals to improve doula access throughout the County,\nincluding community information campaigns and methods of integrating\ndoulas into existing birthing teams; and\nAdditional funding and staffing needed to carry out these proposed\nactivities, if any, including an analysis of existing funding sources, gaps\nthat would need to be filled to carry out this work, and potential funding\nsources. (23-0579)\nAttachments: Motion by Supervisor Mitchell\nPublic Comment/Correspondence