NEW YORK \u2014 Today, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene celebrated a major milestone for the Citywide Doula Initiative: more than 4,200 people have received doula care through the program since its launch, many of them in neighborhoods most affected by health and socioeconomic inequities.<\/p>\n
The administration also recognized six hospitals \u2014 including four NYC Health + Hospitals locations: Elmhurst, Jacobi, Lincoln and Metropolitan \u2014 as the first hospitals to complete the Citywide Doula Initiative\u2019s<\/a> Doula-Friendly Hospital Program, which promotes doula-friendly policies and practices in hospital maternity settings.<\/p>\n MetroPlusHealth, New York City\u2019s health plan for City employees and their families, has also announced an expansion of its Gold Plan benefits to include<\/a> doula coverage beginning Jan. 1, 2027.<\/p>\n Together, these efforts mark a major expansion of access to doula care across New York City. Doula support is associated with improved health outcomes for birthing parents and infants and can help make pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period safer and more supportive.<\/p>\n \u201cThis milestone speaks to the power of one of our City\u2019s most successful programs: the Citywide Doula Initiative, which has already supported thousands of families, including in communities that have been too often left behind by our health care system,\u201d said Mayor Mamdani. \u201c4,000 people served is only the beginning. We are expanding access through our public hospitals and to City employees because every New Yorker deserves support to bring a child into this world safely and with care.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCommunity-based doula programs support the mental, emotional and physical well-being of expecting families, especially in Black and Latino communities where families have faced deep inequities and higher rates of maternal mortality,\u201d said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Helen Arteaga. \u201cThe Citywide Doula Initiative is a powerful program that brings support to those who need it most, particularly those who too often are unable to access critical resources. We look forward to celebrating thousands more New Yorkers served by this remarkable initiative.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cServing more than 4,000 clients through the Citywide Doula Initiative is a testament to what\u2019s possible when we commit to equity in maternal care,\u201d said NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Alister F. Martin. \u201cEnsuring doulas are recognized as valued members of the care team is critical to strengthening maternal care, so we are proud to recognize six hospitals for adopting doula-friendly policies and practices and increasing referrals to doulas. We also applaud MetroPlusHealth for further expanding access to doulas for City employees and their families, which will improve health outcomes for parents and their babies. The data is clear: expanding access to doula care leads to healthier outcomes, particularly for Black and Latino families, and a more equitable healthcare system, and the Mamdani administration is leaning in.\u201d<\/p>\n Helping Hospitals Become More Doula-Friendly<\/p>\n Through the Citywide Doula Initiative\u2019s Doula-Friendly Hospital Program, the Health Department brings together community-based doula programs and maternity hospitals to strengthen collaboration between clinical providers and doulas and support hospitals in adopting doula-friendly policies and practices<\/a>.<\/p>\n Participating hospitals create environments where doulas are recognized as an important part of the care team, with the broader goal of advancing equitable birth outcomes for Black and Latino New Yorkers, who are more likely to experience medical complications before, during and after giving birth.<\/p>\n Research shows<\/a> that doula support is associated with fewer cesarean births, fewer preterm and low-birth-weight babies and lower rates of postpartum depression. People who work with a doula are also more likely to breastfeed and report feeling satisfied with their maternity care. Collaboration between doulas and clinical providers and ensuring doulas are part of the care team in hospital settings can help maximize these benefits.<\/p>\n The following hospitals are being recognized as the first group to complete the Doula-Friendly Hospital Program:<\/p>\n Jamaica Hospital Medical CenterMontefiore Medical CenterNYC Health + Hospitals\/ElmhurstNYC Health + Hospitals\/JacobiNYC Health + Hospitals\/LincolnNYC Health + Hospitals\/Metropolitan<\/p>\n Referrals tracked by the Health Department from these hospitals to doulas have increased sixfold, from 100 during the three years from 2019 to 2021 to 603 from 2023 to 2025.<\/p>\n An additional group of hospitals is participating in the Doula-Friendly Hospital Program and will receive certificates upon completion. These include NYC Health + Hospitals\/Kings County, NYC Health + Hospitals\/Queens, St. Barnabas Hospital and SUNY Downstate Medical Center. Additional hospitals will be admitted to the program as capacity allows.<\/p>\n Four community-based doula organizations collaboratively implement the program: Ancient Song, Bronx (Re)Birth and Progress, Brooklyn Perinatal Network and Caribbean Women\u2019s Health Association.<\/p>\n Expanding Access to Doulas Where Needed Most<\/p>\n The Citywide Doula Initiative provides free, nonmedical support to thousands of pregnant New Yorkers who are income-eligible for Medicaid, with a focus on neighborhoods most affected by health and socioeconomic inequities, as identified by the Civic Engagement Commission\u2019s Taskforce for Racial Inclusion and Equity (TRIE) Neighborhood Initiative<\/a>. In addition to its geographic focus, the program aims to reach Black and Latino New Yorkers, as well as people who live in homeless shelters or foster care and those who will be teen parents.<\/p>\n