Monterey County proclaims Maternal Mental Health Week; doula hub trains 43 doulas for Medi‑Cal benefit rollout

The Board of Supervisors on May 26 proclaimed Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week and heard from county behavioral health staff and community partners about a regional doula hub that has trained community doulas to expand support for birthing families.

County officials and community partners told the board that doula support — nonclinical emotional and informational assistance during pregnancy, birth and postpartum — is linked in national research to better maternal outcomes including lower cesarean rates, lower preterm births and improved breastfeeding initiation. County presenters said CalAIM policy changes and state investments have allowed the county and its partners to make doulas available as a Medi‑Cal benefit for birthing families, a change speakers described as likely to improve outcomes for a population in which about 70 percent of births are covered by Medi‑Cal.

Speakers credited the Monterey County Maternal Mental Health Task Force and the Bright Beginnings Early Childhood Development Initiative for launching a regional doula hub. County staff said, with funding from the Central California Alliance for Health, the hub trained 43 new doulas in roughly six months and those doulas have already begun serving local mothers. Partners recognized at the dais included Bright Beginnings Early Childhood Development Initiative, Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, Parenting Connection of Monterey County, Queens Council, Door to Hope, Salinas Valley Health, and others.

Speaker comments emphasized routine screening, culturally sensitive care and community‑based supports as key elements for preventing and treating postpartum depressive and anxiety disorders. The county noted that maternal mental health work has included training for family service agencies and that the expanded Medi‑Cal doula benefit is expected to improve outreach to higher‑risk families.

The supervisors presented a proclamation recognizing Maternal Mental Health Week and thanked the doula hub and partner organizations for training and volunteer efforts. County staff said the county will continue to expand capacity for community doula training and postpartum supports and asked for ongoing partner and funder support.