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HRSA Awards $6.3 Million to Launch New Parents Initiative, ‘Doulas’ TrainingHRSA Administrator Elizabeth M. Duke has announced grants of almost $6.3 million in grants to benefit mothers, new parents and their infants. Almost $4.9 million of the grants will be awarded to states to develop public awareness campaigns to aid first-time parents. The remaining grants, worth more than $1.4 million, will support the activities of ‘doulas’ to mentor pregnant women during pregnancy, birth and for at least the first 12 weeks after delivery. Both sets of grants are funded by HRSA's Maternal and Child Health Bureau .
“New parents can benefit from opportunities to learn from peers and professionals," said HRSA Administrator Elizabeth M. Duke. "These grants will help first-time mothers and new parents gain access to helpful resources on prenatal care, family support and parenting." Services promoted through the grants will augment awareness campaigns already implemented by states to promote services for expectant mothers and new parents and encourage a healthy first year of life for their infants. The target population will be women and men from racial and ethnic minorities who live in communities disproportionately affected by pregnancies with health problems. Grantees will use the campaigns to heighten awareness of the importance of preparing couples for their new roles as parents and increase their access to available resources, including parenting education programs. Funds also will promote greater knowledge of pregnancy risk factors, ways to reduce risky behaviors, and strategies to reduce health problems during pregnancies and improve reproductive health.
Doulas provide culturally sensitive pregnancy, breastfeeding and childbirth education and counseling. They also promote links to health care and social services, labor coaching and parenting skills. "The birth of a baby has a long-lasting impact on the physical and mental health of mother, baby and family,” said HRSA Administrator Elizabeth M. Duke. “These funds supporting doulas will provide emotional reassurance and comfort to the mother and her family throughout pregnancy and beyond." The word 'Doula' comes from the ancient Greek and refers to a trained and experienced woman who provides physical, emotional, and informational support to women before, during and immediately following childbirth. Successful doulas share certain qualities: a commitment to help women have healthy and satisfying births, a capacity to form trusting relationships, and an ability to listen and respond to a mother’s needs. The lists of grant recipients follow below:
# The Health Resources and Services Administration ( HRSA), part of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the primary Federal agency for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated, or medically vulnerable. Under a 70-year-old congressional mandate, HRSA's Maternal and Child Health Bureau works to safeguard the health of the nation's women, children and families. For more information about HRSA and its programs, visit www.hrsa.gov. |
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