Partner with the LA Doula Project

We are always looking for new connections in the doula, midwife, reproductive health/justice/rights, social justice and public health and public policy communities.  Please get in touch if your group is interested in learning more about collaborating and sharing for positive change.

 

Clinics

 

We collaborate with clinics to find ways that we can complement the established care models, support patients and respond to a clinics’ changing needs while working to maximize our accessibility. If you are interested in partnering with the LA Doula Project, please contact us for more information about our work and clinic affiliation program. We are currently seeking clinic contacts throughout Los Angeles.

 

We are grateful for the service you provide to folks in our community, and recognize it's no easy task.  Thank you.

 

LADP-trained doulas are currently providing support to people having abortions at a number of local clinics. The model they use closely mirrors the work of The Doula Project in New York, the first full-spectrum doula organization. The Doula Project's work revealed that full-spectrum doulas don't just help the patients—their services greatly benefit providers and clinics as well. Providers reported that doula support can make procedures less complicated and less time-consuming because patients are more relaxed and comfortable. In addition, they reported that it can be easier to communicate with patients and check in about their wellbeing during procedures due to the connected nature of the doula-patient relationship.

 

LADP-trained doulas focus on the emotional, physical, and psychological needs of your patients so your clinic staff can focus on doing their jobs—providing vital medical information and care.  

 

For more info or to create a volunteer doula program at your clinic, contact us.

 

How It Works

 

When you choose to partner with us, we will work with you to set up a system for our already-trained volunteer doulas. LADP volunteers will comply with your full volunteer protocol and requirements, including additional trainings, orientations, meetings, paperwork and other protocols.  After this, our volunteers will begin to work with you to provide doula care to your patients. 

 

Initially, we will set a schedule of days and hours that works for your clinic and is realistic for our volunteer capacity, building support as we are able. Throughout these early stages, we will maintain extensive communication with you and seek formal feedback to be sure that we are doing our best to support your patients and staff.  We hope to establish excellent, long-term working relationships with each of our partner clinics, and to use our work with you as a model for providing abortion care beyond the LA area.  

 

The Research

 

In a study released earlier this year, researchers from the Women’s Health Research Institute in Vancouver found that over 95% of women who experienced an abortion with a support person felt that the support person made it easier to have the procedure and they would choose to have a support person in the future if they needed another abortion. Furthermore, women who did not have a support person demonstrated higher levels of anxiety after the procedure than those with support.1  

 

Additional research presented this year from Oregon State University showed that women overwhelmingly self-reported social support to be a major factor in overcoming barriers to abortion care, and researchers went on to recommend that clinics and case managers make referrals to nonjudgmental, pro-choice support groups and hotlines when appropriate.2   The Alan Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive health research institute, reported that young women who receive social support in their reproductive lives are more likely to have healthier outcomes.3

 

It is clear from these studies that there is a deep need for social support in abortion care.  The Bay Area Doula Project is one way in which people can receive this support.  Speaking even further to the value of doulas in abortion care, The Doula Project in New York City has served over 2000 women and has yet to have a single woman opt-out of having a doula before, during and after her abortion.  

 

1. Veiga M.  Social Support in the Recovery Room for Elective Pregnancy Termination: Perspective of the Patient, Support Person and Health Professional, Vancouver: Women’s Health Research Institute, 2010.

 

2.  Ostrach B, Cheyney M.  The Role of Social Support in Overcoming Obstacles to Abortion Access:  Oregon Women Tell Their Stories, Oregon:  Oregon State University, 2010.   

 

3. Darroch JE, Frost JJ, Singh S, et. al.  Teenage Sexual Reproductive Behavior in Developed Countries: Can More Progress Be Made?, New York:  Alan Guttmacher Institute, 2001.