Posted on October 7, 2026

Read on Long Island Times

Huntington Station-based Health & Welfare Council of Long Island (HWCLI) recently hosted the first Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)-sponsored doula training in New York State through a collaboration with the Suffolk County Department of Labor.

The free, bilingual birth doula training was held for three days in August at Northwell South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore. Through WIOA funding provided by the Suffolk County Department of Labor, the program covered the full cost of training for 18 aspiring doulas.

“By removing financial barriers to training, we are creating opportunities for individuals to enter a meaningful and growing profession while simultaneously strengthening the support available to birthing families on Long Island,” said HWCLI President and CEO Vanessa Baird-Streeter. “We are proud to work alongside the Suffolk County Department of Labor and our partners to build a more accessible, representative, and sustainable maternal health workforce.”

As maternal health data continue to highlight persistent disparities in pregnancy and birth outcomes, doulas are increasingly recognized for the important role they can play in providing continuous, nonclinical support to pregnant and postpartum individuals.

The training, led by Chanel’s Comforting Doula Care, provided participants with education and hands-on preparation as they were led through a curriculum that included the stages of labor, birth physiology, postpartum care, comfort measures, emotional support, communication, and strategies for providing informational support to diverse families. The participants also received guidance on the professional and business aspects of becoming a doula.

Together, the 18 trained doulas have committed to providing a collective 900 hours of volunteer doula care on Northwell South Shore University Hospital’s labor and delivery unit.

“Becoming a doula should not be limited to those who can afford the cost of training,” said Chanel Jones, birth doula and founder of Chanel’s Comforting Doula Care. “This partnership has opened the door for 18 individuals to gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to support families during pregnancy and childbirth.”