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May 6, 2025

Taxing Long Island: Nassau & Suffolk's low poverty rate percentages may not show complete picture

Former State Sen. John Brooks (D-Seaford) says many state lawmakers refer to the percentages rather than the real number of people in need.

By Rich Barbarri

Posted on May 1st, 2025

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More people are living below the poverty line in Nassau and Suffolk counties than most of the rest of the counties in New York state. That's despite state-leading low percentage rates, which experts say are misleading.

Data from the National Institutes of Health shows that just 5.3% of Nassau County residents are living below the poverty line. That's the lowest percentage in the state. And 6.4% of Suffolk residents are living below the poverty line. However those percentages still translate to Nassau having more than 72,000 people living below the poverty line. Suffolk has more than 95,000 people in the same situation.

Former State Sen. John Brooks (D-Seaford) says many state lawmakers refer to the percentages rather than the real number of people in need when determining where to allocate state funds to aid those who are struggling to make ends meet.

"This ability for some people in Albany to use numbers and paint a picture ignored the difference in sizes," Brooks said.

Health and Welfare Council of Long Island President & CEO Vanessa Baird-Streeter says the situation is even more dire on Long Island than the federal data suggests.

"A family of four making the federal poverty level cannot sustain itself," Baird-Streeter said. "That is due to the cost of housing, that is due to child care costs...the cost of groceries, transportation, much higher on Long Island."

The same NIH data set finds that Nassau County ranks 60th out of 3,143 counties across the United States in the number of people living below the poverty line. Suffolk ranks 128th.

April 18, 2025

Medicaid-enrolled doulas get new way to keep notes on the women they serve

By Tiffany Cusaac-Smith

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Updated April 18, 2025 12:32 pm

Medicaid-enrolled doulas assisting Long Island women during pregnancy and after birth now have access to a new platform that aims to alleviate administrative hurdles and lead to better outcomes for their babies, officials said.

The Health and Welfare Council of Long Island and Soter Technologies on Thursday launched a client management platform called Doula Notes, which provides the birth assistants with one place to document information like appointments, notes and births.

"It is about equitable access," said Vanessa Baird-Streeter, president and CEO of the Health and Welfare Council of Long Island. "It's about removing barriers for doulas."

The launch of the client management platform, which is free, comes after New York State allowed doula services to be covered under Medicaid in 2024. Today, pregnant women who are on Medicaid can get doula services that include "eight perinatal visits before or after the birth and continuous support during labor and birth," according to the state Department of Health’s website.

About 45 doulas serve Long Island, according to the DOH’s doula directory.

By easing administrative burdens, health officials hope more people will have access to doula services, which can include birthing plans and labor support, and become Medicaid-enrolled doulas to help combat the nation’s maternal mortality crisis.

Between 2018 and 2020, roughly 120 pregnancy-related deaths took place in New York, according to the state Department of Health. There were stark racial disparities, with Black women having a "a pregnancy-related mortality ratio five times higher than" white women, the DOH said.

Research has shown that having a doula may improve some birth outcomes.

Yet, many doulas had not become Medicaid-enrolled providers, citing concerns about the long reimbursement times and paperwork, Baird-Streeter said. Health insurance may cover part of the cost of a doula.

Doula Notes, which cost about $100,000 to develop, is designed to bridge the gap in a way that is compliant with health care privacy laws. The platform allows doulas to code prenatal visits, whether the person had a C-section and other key information that might be audited by Medicaid. The Health and Welfare Council of Long Island said they convened bimonthly meetings with doulas on Long Island to ensure the platform was geared toward their needs.

Chanel Jones, a birth doula who founded Chanel's Comforting Doula Care, has used the platform.

Doula Notes, she said, simplifies an often difficult and cumbersome Medicaid billing process by allowing documentation to be in one place.

In the future, she hopes it will encourage more doulas to accept patients who are enrolled in Medicaid, allowing them to be able to "help the community where it matters the most," Jones said.

April 18, 2025

HWCLI Press Release: HWCLI and Soter Technologies Launch “Doula Notes” Platform to Support Medicaid-Enrolled Doulas During Black Maternal Health Week

HWCLI and Soter Technologies Launch “Doula Notes” Platform to Support Medicaid-Enrolled Doulas During Black Maternal Health WeekA Groundbreaking Tool to Support Medicaid-Enrolled Doulas, Reduce Administrative Burden, and Improve Maternal Health Outcomes Ronkonkoma, NY. (April 17th, 2025) As Black Maternal Health Week (April 11–17) comes to an end, the Health and Welfare Council of Long Island (HWCLI) and Soter Technologies proudly announced the launch of Doula Notes, a groundbreaking client management platform designed specifically for Medicaid-enrolled doulas, at a press conference earlier today.Doula Notes is the first-of-its-kind digital platform tackles one of the most pressing, yet overlooked, challenges doulas face: the heavy administrative burden of tracking client information, services rendered, and outcomes. It offers a secure, user-friendly system to track appointments, birth outcomes, and demographic data—all in one centralized location. By simplifying documentation, the platform allows doulas to dedicate more time and energy to their core mission: providing compassionate, continuous care to birthing people.“Doula Notes is not just a digital solution; it’s a tangible investment in equity, efficiency, and maternal justice.” said Vanessa Baird-Streeter, President and CEO of HWCLI."The Health and Welfare Council of Long Island is dedicated to improving maternal health and birth outcomes for expecting parents. With the launch of this new platform, Doula Notes, we aim to alleviate the administrative burdens faced by doulas, especially concerning Medicaid reimbursement. This will allow doulas to devote more time and energy to caring for mothers and their babies. The launch of this new platform underscores the power of collaboration between the nonprofit sector, private industry, and community members in creating initiatives that enhance the health of our communities"The launch of Doula Notes comes at a critical time. According to the New York State Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Task Force (March 2024), pregnancy-related deaths among Black, non-Hispanic women are five times higher than those of white, non-Hispanic women. Research consistently shows that doulas and midwives significantly improve birth outcomes, particularly for Black and Brown birthing people. Doula Notes is designed to empower these providers by reducing the barriers that stand in the way of effective care."As a mother of two and currently pregnant with my third, I know firsthand that doulas and midwives are not a luxury—they are life-saving partners in care. The launch of this platform isn’t just about technology, it’s about building real infrastructure for equity and ensuring Black and Brown families have access to the culturally competent support they deserve,” said Randalle Lewis, Advocacy and Coalitions Manager at HWCLI.Doulas are already seeing the difference Doula Notes can make."Doula Notes has replaced my cluttered toolbox of apps and paper forms with one simple, streamlined platform. It’s a one-stop shop for all my doula administrative needs,” said Chanel Jones, a Medicaid-enrolled doula, birth doula trainer, and founder of Chanel’s Comforting Doula Care. “Doula Notes makes it easy for doulas to lead with H.E.A.R.T.—to Hold space, Educate, Advocate, Reassure, and Track our clients throughout their birthing journeys. It’s a platform created by doulas, for doulas, to enhance the essential work we do.” Doula Notes is more than just a tech solution—it’s a step toward health equity, maternal justice, and systemic change. The data collected through the platform will also help inform future policy and advocacy work to expand and strengthen maternal health services across New York State.“Technology should be a bridge to better care—not a barrier." said Derek Peterson, CEO and Founder of Soter Technologies. “Our goal with Doula Notes was to create a tool that truly meets doulas where they are, and empowers them to work more effectively.”In addition to easing the day-to-day workload for doulas, the data collected through Doula Notes will help inform future policy and advocacy efforts aimed at strengthening maternal health systems statewide.The Health and Welfare Council extends our heartfelt thanks to the dedicated Doulas who participated in our learning and training collaborative, helping to ensure that the Doula Notes platform truly reflects and supports their needs. We also extend a special thank you to Dr. Heather Findletar Hines, CNM, FACNM, Founder of One Love Midwifery, for generously sharing her expertise and insight in the development and creation of Doula Notes. Doulas who are interested in learning more about the Doula Notes platform and how it can support their work are encouraged to visit www.tinyurl.com/DoulaNotes. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to explore its features more deeply, Doula Notes offers tools designed to streamline documentation, enhance client communication, and support your Doula work.For media inquiries or further information, please contact Angela Porwick at Aporwick@hwcli.com or 631-935-5214.