Mission Statement
Mission Statement
Embedded Files
Gem of the Valley Doula Project exists to expand access to professional doula care, particularly for families from communities disproportionately affected by maternal health disparities and for those relying on Medi-Cal who may face barriers to continuous, personalized support throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.
We build this work in partnership with the clinical community. Doulas provide continuous presence, education, emotional and physical support, and support for informed decision-making, while physicians, nurses, and midwives retain responsibility for medical judgment and clinical care. Respecting these distinct roles allows each profession to contribute fully and strengthens trust between doulas, families, and healthcare teams.
We are equally committed to sustaining the doulas who carry this work forward. By providing organizational support with billing, credentialing, coordination, and administrative responsibilities, we reduce barriers that contribute to burnout and attrition so doulas can build sustainable careers serving their communities.
The Doula Project occupies the space between clinical care and personal support: present for the mother as a trusted advocate, present for the clinical team as a collaborative partner, and present for the doula as an organization committed to sustaining both the work and the people who provide it.
Vision of The Doula Project
Vision of The Doula Project
As hospital staffing models evolve and access to midwifery care shifts, The Doula Project seeks to preserve individualized advocacy, informed consent, and patient-centered birth support through:
A 24/7 on-call doula presence serving families delivering at Rancho Springs Medical Center
A sustainable Medi-Cal and managed-care billing model that removes financial barriers
A 16-hour self-guided training program that prepares doulas to meet California Medi-Cal and PAVE requirements
A local workforce development pipeline that increases access to qualified, hospital-ready doulas
Collaborative partnerships with healthcare providers to strengthen, not replace, medical care
We believe doulas are a stabilizing force within hospital birth settings, supporting communication, reducing unnecessary interventions, improving patient satisfaction, and protecting the dignity and autonomy of birthing families.
Long term, our hope is that birthing families don't need to make use of our On-Call Doula for births, and instead, families learn about the doula care available to them much earlier on in their pregnancy. Families can then tailor their doula experience for their unique needs, utilizing the services and offerings of one (or many) of the doulas in our collective.
For our local workforce, we hope our accessible doula training program will offer new pathways for anyone interested in supporting mothers and families during one of life's greatest and most sacred experiences. Our goal is to create a sustainable opportunity for birthworkers to find joy in caring hands-on for birthing mothers, while earning a livable wage, and be able to pick their own on-call schedule, working as little or much as desired.
Lastly, our vision is to be a valuable and active resource for our community relating to pregnancy, birth, and all things family. Through our collective networking, community partnerships, and genuine love for this community, we hope to support women and families through the fourth trimester and beyond. Our goal is to nurture the vulnerable, empower families, support opportunities to connect, and restore the health and well-being of the families in our community.
By expanding education, strengthening advocacy, and embedding accessible doula support within our local hospital ecosystem, The Doula Project works to transform birth from an isolated medical event into a supported, empowered, and connected community experience.
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