Healthy Start considers launching a free doula service in Central Florida

By Danielle Prieur

Published September 22, 2022 at 4:55 PM EDT

Venessa Aiken holds her son Jahzir Robinson, five weeks old, outside their home Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022, in Orlando, Fla. States around the country are making it easier for newborn moms to keep Medicaid in the year after childbirth, a crucial time when depression and other health problems can develop.(AP Photo/John Raoux)

Healthy Start of Central and North Central Florida are considering launching a free doula program for expectant moms in the area.

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But they’re looking for feedback from pregnant people first.

The coalition in partnership with the University of Florida School of Public Health has set up a quick, five-minute online survey to gauge community interest in the doula service.

Anyone 18 years old and up can participate and answers are completely anonymous.

Healthy Start is a nonprofit in Florida with the goal to, "ensure pregnant women have access to care and to improve maternal and infant health while reducing the number of preterm births, low birth weight babies, and infant mortality."

Click here to learn more about Healthy Start and the services they provide including childbirth classes in Spanish and English. And here to take the survey.