A. As used in this section, “state-certified doula” means a trained, community-based nonmedical professional who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to a pregnant person during the antepartum or intrapartum period or during the period up to one year postpartum and who has been certified by a body approved by the Board for such purpose in accordance with the provisions of this section.

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Terms Used In Virginia Code 32.1-77.1

  • Department: means the State Department of Health. See Virginia Code 32.1-3
  • Person: means an individual, corporation, partnership, or association or any other legal entity. See Virginia Code 32.1-3
  • State: when applied to a part of the United States, includes any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands. See Virginia Code 1-245

B. No person shall use or assume the title “state-certified doula” unless such person is a community-based doula who (i) has received training and education as a doula from an entity approved by a body approved by the Board for such purpose and (ii) has been certified as a doula by a body approved by the Board for such purpose.

C. No entity shall hold itself out as providing training and education necessary to meet the requirements of clause (i) of subsection B unless its curriculum and training program has been approved by a body approved by the Board for such purpose.

D. The Board shall adopt regulations setting forth the requirements for (i) use of the title “state-certified doula” and (ii) training and education necessary to satisfy the requirements for certification by the Department as a state-certified doula.

E. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection B, a person who is certified by a national credentialing organization that is approved by a body approved by the Board for such purpose who does not meet the requirements of clause (i) of subsection B shall also be eligible for state certification.

F. Certification requirements for state-certified doulas shall reflect national best practices pertaining to community-based doula training and certification.

G. The Department shall make a registry of state-certified doulas in the Commonwealth available to the public through a body approved by the Board to certify doulas. The Department shall also make a list of entities approved to provide training and education necessary to meet the requirements of clause (i) of subsection B available to the public through a body approved by the Board to certify doulas.

H. Nothing in this section shall prohibit any person from practicing as a doula in the Commonwealth, regardless of whether such person is certified in accordance with the provisions of this section.

2020, c. 724.