Wellpoint Washington and Open Arms Partner to Expand Doula Access
Maintaining a robust partnership with Open Arms since 2017, Wellpoint Washington continues to demonstrate its commitment through advocacy, sponsorship, and direct program support. Wellpoint Washington’s investments have helped to strengthen a network of highly skilled doulas, expand maternal health services, and improve health outcomes for expecting mothers and newborns.
Research from Elevance Health, the parent company of Wellpoint Washington, shows certified doulas have been effective at improving health outcomes for people who are pregnant and their babies. Data from several states that provide Medicaid coverage of doula care shows that Medicaid beneficiaries who used certified doulas during their pregnancies and deliveries had better outcomes compared to those who didn’t.
In collaboration with Open Arms and The Center for Indigenous Midwifery, Wellpoint Washington funded a doula training program to expand access. The program successfully trained 29 new doulas, 5 of whom are now providing direct support to families at Open Arms.
Currently, Wellpoint Washington is working to connect members directly to Open Arms for doula support.
“Thanks to Wellpoint’s generous support, we have been able to ensure over 30 new parents receive culturally matched care from doulas who truly understand their needs. Additionally, your investment in workforce development has opened doors for new birth workers to be trained by skilled midwives and doulas, building a strong community of new birth workers passionate about helping families. Because of your sponsorship, we’ve expanded care for families, increased training for birth workers, and improved birth outcomes in Black, Indigenous, and Asian Pacific Islander communities across King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties.”
Jami Bess, Associate Director of Programs from Open Arms
As of August 2024, 34 Wellpoint Washington families have been connected to Open Arms.
Wellpoint Washington remains steadfast in its effort to support the state’s doula workforce to improve birth outcomes for women across Washington who would otherwise not have access to quality and personalized maternal care. Open Arms has reported their clients seeing an increase in full term births, lower cesarean births compared to the statewide rate, and higher rates of breastfeeding at birth. To learn more about Open Arms and their services, visit their website at www.openarms.org