Maternal Health Advocacy – Public -Health and Welfare Council of Long Island (HWCLI)

Mission

The Health & Welfare Council of Long Island (HWCLI) Maternal Health Advocacy initiative is committed to improving maternal and infant health outcomes through education, systemic change, and community-driven support.

Our mission is to empower our community with knowledge and resources for informed decision-making, advocate for equitable and culturally competent healthcare within hospitals and health systems, and uplift the critical role of doulas and midwives in maternal care.

By addressing racial and socioeconomic disparities, promoting respectful and patientcentered maternity care, and expanding access to holistic birth support, we strive to create a future where every parent and baby receives the care, dignity, and support they deserve.

Goals

Empowering Birthing Individuals Through Education

Develop and promote accessible, culturally competent educational programs to ensure individuals of childbearing age have the knowledge and resources needed for informed decision-making, healthy pregnancies, and positive birth outcomes.

Our efforts include workshops, informational materials, and community outreach focused on reproductive health, prenatal and postnatal care, nutrition, safe birthing practices, mental health, breastfeeding, and newborn care

Advancing Equity in Healthcare Systems and Hospitals

Collaborate with hospitals, healthcare providers, and policymakers to ascertain best practices and implement training and education that fosters equitable, evidence-based, and patient-centered maternal care.

Our initiatives focus on reducing maternal mortality and morbidity, addressing racial and socioeconomic disparities, strengthening provider-patient communication, and promoting trauma-informed and respectful maternity care.

Advocate for the integration of doulas and midwives within hospital settings and push for implicit bias training to improve culturally competent care.

Strengthening Advocacy for Doulas and Midwives

Actively support and advocate for birth workers by supporting increased recognition, fair compensation, and expanded insurance coverage for doula and midwifery services.

Our organization is working to create more accessible training and certification opportunities, particularly for individuals from underrepresented communities.

Additionally, we support workplace protections and policies that empower doulas and midwives to practice without unnecessary restrictions, ensuring that more birthing individuals can access the holistic and personalized care they deserve.

PARTNERS & COLLABORATIONS

Our Partners Make It Possible!

Bringing together Long Island’s Doulas, Midwives, OBGYNs, Public Servants, Hospitals, and Nonprofits.

Maternal Health Advocacy

Strengthening Advocacy for Doulas and Midwives

Partnering with LIDA, Ancient Songs, Maternity Wise, and other groups, HWCLI organizes educational events to increase the number of doulas enrolled in the Medicaid Reimbursement system. This collaboration has been essential in expanding doula services to underserved communities.

State of Women’s Health in Long Island Conferences

In collaboration with the Women’s Diversity Network (WDN), we have successfully hosted two women’s health conferences, attracting over 250 registrants. These events featured prominent healthcare experts discussing critical women’s health issues such as maternal health, mental health, nutrition, cardiovascular disease, cervical and breast cancer, homeopathic medicine, and more. HWCLI and WDN remain committed to curating conferences that address the full spectrum of women’s health throughout their lifespan.

Lactation Classes in Creole

HWCLI recruits Creole-speaking registered nurses to work with WDN to offer lactation classes to the Haitian community.

Doula Support for Incarcerated Women

Collaborating with New Hour for Women and Children, Heather Findletar Hines, CNM, DNP, FACNM and One Love Midwifery, incarcerated women in Suffolk County jails are being connected to Doula services.

Doula Notes: Web-Based Platform to Support Medicaid Enrolled Doulas

Soter Technologies, with guidance from HWCLI and Dr. Heather Hines, is developing a web-based application to assist doulas in billing for Medicaid reimbursable services. This initiative aims to streamline Medicaid claims processing once fully implemented.

Birthing Center Initiative

A Birthing Center is desperately needed on Long Island to provide birthing options for women within our region. HWCLI is supporting the efforts of One Love Midwifery to bring this resource to fruition.

Doula Enrollment Increase

The initiative to enroll doulas in the Medicaid system saw a remarkable rise, from just 3 doulas at the beginning of the year to 35 by the first quarter of 2025.

Legislation

The Health & Welfare Council of Long Island (HWCLI) is committed to advocating for legislation that shapes the future of maternal health in New York State. We encourage the public to utilize policies and legislation that promote their wellbeing.

This page serves as a repository for the legislation we are supporting and working towards.

Working Parent Entitled to Paid Milk Pumping Breaks

New York State: Protecting Workplace
Rights for Breastfeeding Parents

The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) is reminding all business owners that working parents are entitled to paid break time for expressing milk at work under New York State labor law.

This legislation ensures that employees have the right to 30 minutes of paid break time to express milk in addition to their regular meal and break times. These protections apply for up to three years following childbirth and are designed to support breastfeeding and chestfeeding parents in balancing their work and caregiving responsibilities.

Key Provisions of the Legislation:

Paid Break Time: Employees are entitled to 30 minutes of paid break time for expressing milk, in addition to regular breaks.
Private Lactation Space Requirements: Employers must provide a private, designated space that:
- Is not a restroom or toilet stall
- Has a functioning lock or sign indicating when in use
- Includes a chair, a small table or flat surface, proper lighting, and an electrical outlet
- Is close to clean, accessible water and shielded from view to ensure privacy
Employee Rights: While employees are not required to use the designated lactation space, employers must ensure a compliant area is available.

Employers must comply with these regulations to support the health and wellbeing of their employees and their children.

The NYSDOH encourages businesses to create family-friendly workplace policies that promote infant health and parental support.

For more information on workplace breastfeeding rights, visit:
health.ny.gov/supportbreastfeeding

NYS: Enhancing Maternal Health With Doula Access

New York Senate Bill S5992A

New York Senate Bill S5992A, sponsored by Senator Roxanne J. Persaud, represents a significant step forward in maternal health care. This bill, signed into law by Governor Hochul on December 11, 2024, aims to improve the support system for expecting and new mothers by ensuring they have access to doulas throughout their maternity care journey

NYS Paid Prenatal Leave Law

In a groundbreaking move, Governor Kathy Hochul has signed the Paid Prenatal Leave Law, making New York the first United States to offer paid time off specifically for prenatal care.

This landmark legislation, which took effect on January 1, 2025, provides pregnant employees with an additional 20 hours of paid leave for prenatal medical appointments.

Governor Hochul emphasized the importance of this new law, stating, “No pregnant woman in New York should have to choose between earning a paycheck and attending a crucial medical appointment. This law ensures that all expectant mothers can prioritize their health and the health of their unborn children without financial stress.

Maternal Justice Coalition of Long Island

Click here to visit the Maternal Justice Coalition homepage

The Health and Welfare Council of Long Island (HWCLI) is proud to serve as a co-chair the Maternal Justice Coalition of Long Island (MJC), founded by Women’s Diversity Network. MJC champions equitable maternal healthcare for all.

The Maternal Justice Coalition:

Drives systemic change
Increases awareness of and decreases health disparities
Empowers marginalized voices
Fosters a supportive network that ensures safe, informed, and respectful care from preconception through postpartum

The MJC is composed of diverse, complementary organizations, agencies, clinicians, and individuals, and acts as one cohesive force in creating community support for best practices that promote and increase positive maternal outcomes for Black women and other vulnerable populations.

The Coalition aims to decrease implicit bias, health inequity, and racial disparity in the maternal care of Black women and Black birthing people.

The MJC is committed to:

Advocacy

Collaborate with policymakers to develop and implement policies that address maternal health inequities and expand access to quality care.

Educations

Provide resources and training to healthcare providers and community members to foster understanding and awareness of maternal health issues.

Support

Establish a community support system that includes peer networks, counseling, and educational workshops to empower birthing individuals and families.

Research & Data

Promote and support research initiatives to better understand the maternal health landscape on Long Island, ensuring data-driven advocacy.

Equity

Center the experiences of marginalized communities in our work, ensuring that all voices are heard and valued in the maternal health conversation.

Together, we envision a future where every individual has access to the care and support they need to thrive during the maternal journey, free from discrimination, stigma, and barriers.

Meetings

Coalition

August 26th: 11AM

Committees

TBD

Contact

For any questions about the Maternal Health Coalition of Long Island, please reach out via email to dedicated MJC staff:

Randalle Lewis

rlewis@hwcli.com

Carol Burnett

cburnett@womensdiversitynetwork.org

Long Island Doula Access

Are you a client interested in receiving Doula Services? Click here. Are you a Doula interested in our new platform Doula Notes? Click here. If you have any further questions, please reach out to us at maternalhealth@hwcli.com to learn more.

In March 2024, the New York State Report on Pregnancy- Associated Deaths in 2018-2020 evidenced that Black, non-Hispanic women comprised 23% of pregnancy- associated deaths, while accounting for 14.3% of all live births.

This glaring disparity in Black maternal morbidity and mortality outcomes on Long Island and in N.Y.S. would be drastically improved by connecting and informing doulas of the Medicaid Reimbursement program and further innovating doula service access:

Half of the birth parents on Long Island are Medicaid recipients, the Medicaid Reimbursement Program can provide Doulas access to this large community. In 2024, there were only 3 Doulas signed up for the program, 1 of which not from Long Island. Preliminary work identified 52 unconnected doulas on Long Island.
84% (4 out of 5) of all Maternal Deaths are preventable and doulas have a proven track record of positive outcomes on births!
A study in The Journal of Perinatal Education found that mothers who had doulas were “2 times less likely to have birth complications.” And their babies “were 4 times less likely to have a low birth weight.”
A Nationwide survey of 2,400 mothers who gave birth from mid-2011 to mid-2012 found that only 6% of women received “supportive care from a doula” during labor, according to research in The Journal of Perinatal Education.

New York State Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Advisory Council Report 2023

Download NYS Report Now

We believe the data supports that improving access to doulas will improve birth outcomes for all on Long Island.

Long Island Doula Directory

How Many Long Island Doulas are Registered with Medicaid?

HWCLI is leading a collaborative effort with our partners to support more Long Island doulas in becoming Medicaid-reimbursable providers.

This page will be routinely updated to reflect the most recent tracked efforts of our doula access coalition.

LI Doula Medicaid Participation:

3

April 2024

54

June 2025

Maternal Health Initiative

HWCLI Seeks to address Long Island’s maternal health crisis by enhancing access to comprehensive and culturally competent care services.

Maternal health outcomes will improve with innovative strategies like the expansion of doula services, improvement in access to care for incarcerated birthing persons, and integration of cutting-edge technology to track and improve fetal health.

Primary Objectives:

Expand access to doula services for underserved populations, including incarcerated birthing persons and those without Medicaid eligibility.

Promote the integration of doula services into mainstream healthcare systems through the Hospital Doula-Friendliness Guidebook by New York Coalition for Doula Access’ (NYCDA) .

Build capacity in maternal health education and community engagement through conferences, workshops, and training opportunities.

Enhance language access services to ensure that non-English-speaking populations receive accurate and timely maternal healthcare information.

Program Element Highlights:

Doula Mobile App Development

Streamline billing processes and ensure that doulas are compensated.

Doula Services for Incarcerated Birthing Persons

In collaboration with New Hour for Women and Girls, provide Medicaid-ineligible incarcerated birthing individuals in Suffolk County jails with the support they need.

Education Classes on Birthing Support

Offer educational classes to birthing parents on alternative support options beyond traditional obstetricians.

In-Person Translation Services and Document Translation

Help to ensure that language barriers do not prevent access to vital maternal healthcare information.

Meetings and Conference

Offer valuable information & networking opportunities for healthcare providers, doulas, & other community partners.

Introducing Doula Notes

HWCLI is proud to introduce Doula Notes, a first-of-its-kind client management platform created to support doulas across New York State and beyond! Developed by the Health and Welfare Council of Long Island (HWCLI) in partnership with KratosDP, this innovative tool is transforming how doulas deliver care. Click here to access Doula Notes now!

What Is Doula Notes?

Doula Notes is a secure, user-friendly digital platform built by doulas, for doulas. It centralizes all aspects of a doula’s administrative work—appointment tracking, birth outcomes, client demographics, and more—into one easy-to-use system. By significantly reducing the paperwork burden, the platform frees up doulas to do what they do best: provide compassionate, culturally competent, continuous care to birthing people.

Why It Matters

Black, non-Hispanic women in New York are five times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white, non-Hispanic women. Studies consistently show that doulas and midwives improve outcomes for Black and Brown birthing people—but they are often burdened by time-consuming administrative requirements, especially under Medicaid. Doula Notes helps eliminate those barriers, making it easier for doulas to access reimbursement, coordinate care, and spend more time with their clients—not paperwork.

Doula Notes was developed in deep partnership with the doula community through a training and learning collaborative led by HWCLI. Their feedback shaped every aspect of the platform to ensure it reflects real-world needs. Doula Notes isn’t just a tech tool. It’s part of a growing infrastructure for maternal justice and systemic change. The anonymized data collected through the platform will help guide policy, advocacy, and investment in maternal health services throughout New York State.

Learn More & Get Involved

To learn more about the launch of Doula Notes read our official press release here. If you’re a doula looking to streamline your work or a partner wanting to support maternal health equity, visit www.doulanotes.com to learn more, sign up, or explore the platform’s features. If you are a client interested in receiving doula services, please click here.

Doula Notes Features

Birth Logging

Easily record data on mothers and births using a mobile device, laptop or desktop. Upcoming births are shown in a calendar so you can plan your week.

Calculate Statistics

Quickly calculate and visualize statistics on birth outcomes in graphs, improving decision making and saving time.

Compare Trends

Use pre-built reports to easily compare important trends for your practice such as C-section and induction rates by provider.

Calendar

Few things are more important than keeping track of a busy schedule, which makes BirthBase’s built-in calendar essential.

Mileage Tracker

Rest easy come tax time knowing that BirthBase has helped you save trip information all year long.

IasoNotes

Communication platform for your clients loved ones

Resources, Events & Programs

HWCLI is committed to coordinating a diverse array of public events and continuing education opportunities for Doulas, Midwives, and other healthcare professionals. The Maternal Justice Coalition of Long Island newsletter, a collaboration between the Health & Welfare Council of Long Island (HWCLI) and the Women’s Diversity Network, brings you important updates, resources, and events. Click here to read the latest edition and explore key topics, including advocacy efforts, valuable community resources, and upcoming events.

Click here for the latest edition of our Maternal Health Resource Guide.

To submit a Maternal Health resource, event or program to be included in our newsletter download and complete this submission form, and email it to Maternalhealth@hwcli.com

Virtual Doula Notes Training

July 23, 2025

HWCLI RESOURCE DIGEST

July 26, 2025

July 2025 Maternal Justice Newsletter

HWCLI RESOURCE DIGEST

May 9, 2025

May 2025 Maternal Justice Newsletter

HWCLI RESOURCE DIGEST

March 1, 2025

March 2025 Maternal Justice Newsletter