Big News: The Doula Lab Joins a National Movement for Maternal Mental Health
The Doula Lab is proud to be a member of the National Maternal Mental Health Accelerator — launched by the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health, bringing together more than 100 national, state, and local organizations to address critical gaps in maternal mental health care and work toward measurable systems change by 2030.
Together, We're Working to Change Maternal Mental Health Care
As a community-based Birth Justice Hub, The Doula Lab is honored to bring the experiences, needs, and voices of the families we serve into this national collaboration. The Accelerator is aligning organizations around priorities that include:
- Training more providers and eliminating care deserts
- Expanding postpartum care through 12 months after birth
- Increasing access to no- and low-cost maternal mental health care
- Advancing paid leave for families
- Elevating patient stories and lived experiences
- Advancing state and federal policy and research for lasting systems change
Why This Matters to The Doula Lab
At The Doula Lab, we believe maternal mental health is an essential part of maternal health and birth justice. Our work extends beyond the birth itself — through doulas, perinatal health workers, childbirth education, maternal wellness programming, fatherhood engagement, workforce development, and family support.
Participation in the Accelerator allows us to connect that local work to a broader national effort — while ensuring that community voices from Southern Illinois and the St. Louis Metro East are represented in conversations about how maternal mental health systems are strengthened.
