Transparency and Accountability

DOULA CO-OP of Nevada's member Tiara Flynn put the magic in the Spring 2025 Black Maternal Health Week in Las Vegas. As part of a national initiative, this hugely successful event raised awareness, encouraged activism, and strengthened community engagement around Black maternal health. The initiative underscores the urgent reality that Black women in the U.S., regardless of income or social status, are 2-3 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than their white, Hispanic, and Asian/Pacific Islander counterparts.

The DOULA CO-OP participated in the NIH Connecting the Community for Maternal Health Challenge, a nationwide initiative focused on improving maternal health through community-driven solutions. Our team placed 3rd out of 99 organizations nationwide, earning a $150,000 award to expand support for underserved families in Nevada. This recognition highlighted the strength of Nevada's doula community and will help strengthen partnerships, expand access to doula services, and improve maternal health outcomes across the state.

Recognizing the lack of financial incentive from local doulas in Nevada to certify and enroll with the state/MCOs as Medicaid providers, the DOULA CO-OP connected with Assemblywoman Shondra Summers-Armstrong to bring a doula rate increase bill to the 82nd legislative session (AB283). The DOULA CO-OP gathered our team across Washoe and Clark County to write and present the bill to Assembly and Senate committees, successfully increasing the reimbursement rate to a livable wage for urban doulas, and with an added 10% incentive increase for doulas in rural Nevada.

The DOULA CO-OP of Nevada established the first hospital-based community doula program in the state of Nevada. Since launching in 2022, DAP doulas have become integrated members of Renown Health's Labor & Delivery, Triage, Operating Room, and Postpartum teams, expanding access to doula care for Nevada families. In 2025, the program expanded with paid 12-hour Renown Shift Doula positions, funded through the Partners in Progress 2025 Grant from Renown Health, strengthening collaboration between doulas and healthcare providers while increasing access to evidence-based, person-centered care.

The DOULA CO-OP is collaborating with local organizations and agencies to build partnerships that expand education and access to Doula services for pregnant Medicaid and uninsured families. We are excited to spotlight one of our first community partners, Molina Healthcare. In 2023, they chose the DOULA CO-OP as a recipient of their annual Community Reinvestment Program, and with their generous donation, we continue to build the foundation of the DOULA CO-OP, ultimately bringing more opportunities & education to families and Doulas in our communities.

The DOULA CO-OP currently hosts over 50 doula members across Nevada, providing a hub for networking, collaboration, and resource sharing. United Healthcare Health Plan of Nevada has supported several scholarships for new Birth Doulas to be trained and become Certified Enrolled Medicaid providers.

DCNV has also received scholarships from Elevance Healthcare for doula scholarship opportunities, and has worked with Larson Institute on creating birth doula curriculum and training. 

The DOULA CO-OP is offering support and assistance for doulas in completing the process of certifying and enrolling as Medicaid providers with the state. Our members have access to continuing education for initial certification and renewal, as well as video resources to help them navigate provider portals, claims submission, billing, and MCO contracting. These resources help reduce barriers to participation, strengthen Nevada's doula workforce, and increase access to Medicaid-covered doula care for families across the state.