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Committee hears bill to allow DOC to contract for midwifery and doula services for incarcerated people
Summary
Substitute Senate Bill 51 82 would remove a statutory statement that DOC is not required to provide or fund midwifery or doula services and explicitly permit contracting with nonprofits or volunteers; Department of Corrections testified support while noting births occur at community hospitals and the bill was not in the governor’s budget.
The House Committee on Community Safety heard a staff report and testimony March 24 on Substitute Senate Bill 51 82, which would amend law to allow the Department of Corrections to contract with nonprofit providers or partner with volunteers to provide midwifery and doula services for incarcerated pregnant people.
Corey Patton, committee staff, summarized the bill and said it removes statutory language that currently states DOC is not required to establish or fund such services and adds language explicitly permitting contracting and volunteer partnerships. Patton also noted the bill changes wording in statute to use gender‑neutral terms and to refer to “incarcerated individuals” rather than “inmates.”
David Flynn, assistant secretary of health services with the Department of Corrections, testified the agency supports the bill’s intent. “This legislation would enable the Department of Corrections to contract with nonprofit providers and volunteers to provide midwifery and doula services to incarcerated patients,” Flynn said, adding such services would support “emotional and psychological support, enhance postpartum recovery, and will, improve overall maternal and infant healthcare outcomes.”
Flynn told the committee that births for incarcerated people currently take place at community hospitals and that specialty care is provided in community settings; DOC provides primary care inside facilities. He said earlier volunteer services — for example at the Washington Corrections Center for Women — were discontinued after issues with volunteer programs and that the agency has had difficulty recruiting volunteers since then. He also noted the bill was not in the governor’s budget and DOC was testifying “other” because the agency is not proposing a funded program at this time.
Committee members asked how medical emergencies would be handled if labor care were provided by contract or volunteers; Flynn clarified that all births occur in community hospitals where emergency physician and surgical care are available. The ranking member said she had personal familiarity with midwifery care and emphasized the importance of ensuring access to emergency care if labor complications occur.
The committee closed the public hearing on SB 51 82 and did not take executive action on it at this meeting; staff indicated the bill would be revisited in a future executive session.
