(a) There is created the doula services advisory committee. The committee is attached to the department of health for administrative purposes.
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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 63-15-103

  • Committee: means the doula services advisory committee. See Tennessee Code 63-15-102
  • Department: means the department of health. See Tennessee Code 63-15-102
  • Doula: means a birth worker who provides child birth education, advocacy, and physical, emotional, and nonmedical support for pregnant and postpartum women before, during, and after childbirth and loss. See Tennessee Code 63-15-102
  • Doula services: means at least three (3) prenatal appointments, continuous labor support during birth, and at least three (3) postpartum appointments with a pregnant woman. See Tennessee Code 63-15-102
  • Postpartum: means the twelve-month period immediately following childbirth. See Tennessee Code 63-15-102
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(b) The purpose of the committee is to:

(1) Advise the department of health by establishing core competencies and standards for the provision of doula services in this state; and
(2) Recommend reimbursement rates and fee schedules for TennCare reimbursement for doula services.
(c) The doula services advisory committee shall:

(1) Develop a set of core competencies and standards for doulas providing doula services in this state, for the purpose of verifying competency, including a demonstration of competency, through training or attestation of equivalency or lived experience, in the following areas:

(A) Understanding basic anatomy and physiology as related to pregnancy, the childbearing process, breastfeeding, and the postpartum period;
(B) Utilizing different strategies to provide emotional support, education, and resources during the perinatal period;
(C) Knowledge of and the ability to assist families with utilizing a wide variety of nonclinical labor coping and physical comfort strategies;
(D) Strategies to foster effective communication between clients, clients’ families, support services, and healthcare providers; and
(E) Knowledge of community-based, government-funded, and clinical resources available to the client for needs outside the doula’s scope of practice;
(2) Propose multiple options for medicaid reimbursement for doula services, including doulas operating as independent providers and doulas working with licensed providers;
(3) Propose reimbursement rates and fee schedules reflecting the reasonable number of clients a doula can sustain at the same time;
(4) Propose incentive-based programs such as fee waivers to encourage participation from doulas in rural communities; and
(5) Examine outcomes, findings, and reports from existing pilot programs related to the provision of doula services.
(d) The doula services advisory committee shall compile a report of its findings and recommendations from the duties described in subsection (c). No later than eighteen (18) months following the date of the committee’s first meeting, the department of health shall publish a copy of the committee’s report on its public website, and the committee shall transmit a copy of the report to the chair of the health and welfare committee of the senate, the chair of the health committee of the house of representatives, and the legislative librarian.
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