Doulas are specialized home visitors that provide intensive, specialized services in order to improve the perinatal health of mother and baby, support parent-child attachment, and improve the family’s social- emotional experience of labor and delivery. The Doula provides social service and case management for families. Supports pregnant women health and social service needs by consulting with professionals, as needed.
Basic Responsibilities:
- Conduct the family stress assessment on families to determine referral and treatment plans in relation to family stress, domestic violence, mental health, child development, drug/ alcohol use and family support.
- Provide professional consultation and input related to pregnant adolescents to community professionals, including, doctors, nurses, midwives, and social workers.
- Provide a community forum by which Doulas can meet to strategize together on effective service delivery systems development and coordination with area hospitals.
- Research, create and implement prenatal support groups to adolescent mothers and their family members. The Doulas will design prenatal group to challenge thinking and emphasize decision making about issues that affect the relationship between the parent and their unborn child.
- Research and develop prenatal curriculum and conduct trainings to community professionals on critical child development issues such as, breastfeeding, shaken baby syndrome, SIDS, adolescent parenting, risks of HIV/AIDs transmission during breastfeeding, STD transmission, and grief, bereavement and infant loss.
- Research, develop and implement individualized lesson plans based on the needs of the families served. The Doula will teach the participant about the risks of smoking, alcohol abuse, HIV/AIDs, and STD transmission, and the benefits of breastfeeding, enhanced healthy labor and delivery options which may lead to less medical intervention.
- Facilitate and assist in the implementation of individualized birth plans with each adolescent motherto inform professional hospital staff including, doctors, nurses and midwives of the mother’s expectations and goals during and after labor.
- Work in tandem with doctors, nurses and midwives in the community to promote essential developmental medical and social outcomes for our families.
- Utilize data systems to monitor participant attendance, statistics, outcome measures, retention rates, and recidivism.
- Develop, collect and support cultural diversity efforts for the program to ensure families are treated with respect.
- Comply with the required schedule of family contact to ensure the family is well informed and an active participant in the program to ensure a healthy outcome.
- Participate in and provide input to the Teen Family Support Advisory Committee.
- Arrange shadowed home visits for audit entities, including medical and nursing students, and Ounce of Prevention staff to observe Doula strategies and techniques utilized with adolescent mothers.
- All other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
- Associate’s Degree or equivalent years of experience.
- Doula Basic Training 1, 2, 3 and 4 within the first 6 months of employment.
- Integrated Strategies Certification within 9 months of employment.
- Family Assessment Core Certification within 9 months of employment.
- Ages and Stages Certification within 9 months of employment.
- Family Assisted Neonatal Activities Certification within 12 months of employment.
- Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC) within 12 months of employment.
- Grief and Bereavement Certification within 12 months of employment.
- Doulas of North America Certification within 24 months of employment.
Experience Required:
- Knowledge of labor and delivery and post-partum care.
Vehicle/Transportation Requirements:
- Valid driver’s license.
- Auto insurance.
- Reliable vehicle.
Skills/Abilities:
- Sensitivity and respect for adolescent parents.
ESSENTIAL TRAININGS: 200 hours Shaken baby syndrome, domestic violence, Trauma Informed Practice, child abuse recognition and response, HIV/AIDS, STD, family planning, safety, infant and maternal depression, human sexuality, infant development, curriculum development and reflective practices. ADA: Easterseals will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disability Act of 1990. Unless exempted by the Americans with Disabilities Act, all persons hired for this position are required to possess the ability to perform the physical tasks necessary to treat clients, i.e., bending, floor-sitting, etc., as well as to have the ability to lift up to 50 pounds frequently.