Virtuous Doula Training Academy
Training Programs
Perinatal Health Worker Certification — preparing the next generation of birth workers with skill, confidence, and cultural humility.
Program Overview
Become a Certified Perinatal Health Worker
Virtuous Doula Training Academy
Every birthing person deserves someone in their corner who understands their body, believes their voice, and shows up with real clinical and cultural knowledge. The Virtuous Doula Training Academy (VDTA) trains that person — you.
VDTA is a program of The Doula Lab, a birth equity nonprofit serving Southern Illinois and the St. Louis Metro region. Our Certified Perinatal Health Worker (PHW) program prepares doulas and community health workers to walk alongside families through pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and beyond — with the equitable, culturally responsive, community-centered training to do it well.
Program at a Glance
A Curriculum Built on Real Competency
The PHW program is aligned to Missouri's official CHW Core Competencies and built on Foundations for Community Health Workers, the required CHW anchor text used across Missouri's DHSS training pathway. Across 16 weeks, you'll move through:
Foundations of Birthwork
The history and evolving role of doulas and CHWs
Anatomy, Physiology & Pregnancy Complications
Clinical grounding for every stage of labor and risk
Postpartum Support & Perinatal Mental Health
Screening tools, self-care, and holding space for new parents
Advocacy & Informed Choice
Helping clients navigate decisions with confidence
Trauma-Informed, Culturally Responsive Care
Healing-centered practice for every community you'll serve
Conflict Resolution & Communication
The interpersonal skills that make or break a birth team
Nutrition & Herbal Healing
Holistic, whole-person support
Newborn Care & Full-Spectrum Doula Work
Loss & Bereavement Support
Companioning families through the hardest moments
Hospital, Birth Center & Home Birth Settings
Protocols, etiquette, and navigation across every birth environment
Special Circumstances in Birth
VBAC, breech, HELLP, postpartum hemorrhage, and more
Professional Practice & Sustainable Careers
Building a doula business that lasts
Hands-On, Not Just Hypothetical
Every VDTA student trains in one of two hands-on tracks: our In-Hospital Doula Practicum, run in partnership with SSM Health St. Mary's, or an Extended Lab track for students who can't complete a hospital placement. Both tracks build mastery across nine real-world skill domains — tracked in your personal Skills Passport.
Professional-Grade Training
Woven throughout the program are HIPAA, mandatory reporting, the CHW Code of Ethics, and Case Management tools — the referral, documentation, and goal-setting skills used across healthcare and social service systems. Students can also complete our Special Populations module covering substance use in pregnancy, incarcerated birthing individuals, teen parents, and high-risk pregnancy.
Lead Change in Your Community
Every cohort completes a Community Dissemination Capstone — a real, community-based research project where you identify a maternal health concern, gather and analyze data, and present findings back to your community. Students also complete 60 hours of Service Learning, including VDTA's signature Cohort Community Event.
Investing in You
VDTA offers scholarship support for students with financial need. Full and partial scholarships are available through a competitive application process, and applicants can indicate barriers — childcare, transportation, technology, and more — that our support team can help address.
Is This You?
VDTA is built for people who already show up for their communities — birth workers, health advocates, caregivers, and career-changers ready to turn lived experience and calling into credentialed, professional skill. If you've ever held someone's hand through something hard and thought, "I could do this for a living," this is where you start.
How It Works
Program Format & Commitment
A rigorous, hybrid training program combining asynchronous and live learning. Students should expect a significant weekly time commitment of 6.5–9 hours per week.
Asynchronous learning
Self-paced weekly modules
Live instruction
2.5–3 hours of live class time per week
In-person skills labs
Scheduled lab and training days
Hands-on application
Service learning in real community settings
Cohort Model — Limited Enrollment
Only 30 students will be accepted into this cohort. Students move through the training together, building strong professional and peer support networks. This is a college-level certification program requiring consistent engagement, accountability, and professional commitment.
Enrollment
2026 Cohort Timeline
Week of
Interviews Begin
August 3, 2026
Final Selections
30 days prior to orientation
Orientation Week
September 21st, 2026
First Week of Class
September 28, 2026
Training Location
Doula Lab
6608 W. Main St. — Belleville, IL 62223
In-person labs and required sessions will be held at this location.
Your Future Role
What This Training Prepares You To Do
Graduates are prepared to serve as Perinatal Health Workers (PHWs) — professionals who integrate:
- Doula support
- Community health work
- Trauma-informed care
- Advocacy and education
You will be trained to support families across pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and beyond, while navigating both community systems and clinical environments with professionalism and clarity of scope.
Is This For You?
This Program Is For Individuals Who Are Called To:
- Serve birthing families and communities
- Build a career in maternal health or birthwork
- Work across hospital, home, and community settings
- Commit to a structured, high-expectation learning environment
Featured Course
Virtuous Doula Training Academy
Presented by the Doula Lab
16-Week Master Syllabus
By Doula Lab
Ready to Begin Your Journey?
Applications for the 2026 cohort are open. Spots are limited — apply today and take the first step toward becoming a Perinatal Health Worker.