Doula Application Information
Doula services include personal support to women and families throughout a woman's pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum experience. This includes emotional and physical support, provided during pregnancy, labor, birth, and the postpartum period. Pursuant to federal regulations, doula services must be recommended by a physician or other licensed practitioner.
Doula providers may apply for enrollment in the fee-for-service Medi-Cal program as individuals, group providers, rendering providers, or ordering/referring/prescribing (ORP) providers.
In accordance with Welfare & Institutions Code (W & I Code) Section 14043.75(b), DHCS established specific application and enrollment requirements for doula providers who apply for enrollment in the Medi-Cal program to be reimbursed for the covered services they provide to Medi-Cal beneficiaries. For more information, please see the regulatory provider bulletin titled, “
Medi-Cal Enrollment Requirements and Procedures for Doulas." Please refer to the
Doula Questions and Answers for additional information regarding doula provider enrollment.
Doula applicants may apply to enroll in the Medi-Cal program by submitting an electronic application through the
Provider Application for Validation and Enrollment (PAVE) online enrollment portal, along with all supporting documentation.
Medi-Cal Program Requirements for Doulas
All doulas must be at least 18 years old at the time the application is submitted, provide proof of an adult and infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification from the American Red Cross or American Heart Association, and attest they have completed basic Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) training.
Enrollment Options: Training or Experience Pathway
Requirements for Training Pathway
Gather the required documents listed below, as applicable, and attach them to the completed application in the applicable field in PAVE. Please ensure the attached documents are legible.
- Certificate of Completion for a minimum of 16 total hours of training which includes all of the following topics:
- Lactation support;
- Childbirth education;
- Foundations on anatomy of pregnancy and childbirth;
- Nonmedical comfort measures, prenatal support, and labor support techniques; and
- Developing a community resource list
If the Certificate of Completion does not detail the total number of hours completed and topics covered or if the doula applicant does not have a Certificate of Completion, the doula applicant is required to provide a copy of a syllabus from the completed course(s) and complete the applicable attestation provided within the e-Form application attesting that they have satisfactorily completed course(s) covering the required topics above with the name of the organization providing the training course, the total number of hours completed and the date the course was completed.
- Attestation within the e-Form application attesting that they have provided support at three births in the capacity of a birth doula.
Requirements for Experience Pathway
Gather the required documents listed below, as applicable, and attach them to the completed application. Please ensure the attached documents are legible.
1. Attestation within the e-Form application attesting that they have provided services in the capacity of a doula in either a paid or volunteer capacity for at least five years. The five years of experience in the capacity as a doula must have occurred within the last seven years from the date the application is submitted.
2. Three written client testimonial letters or professional letters of recommendation using the testimonial templates provided within this regulatory provider bulletin from any of the following: a physician, licensed behavioral health provider, nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, licensed midwife, enrolled doula, or community-based organization. Letters must be written within the last seven years. One letter must be from either a licensed provider, a community-based organization, or an enrolled doula.
Testimonial Templates for Doula Applicants
Required Documents for All Doulas
1. Driver’s License or state-issued identification card (issued within the 50 United States or the District of Columbia) of the provider, or person signing the application who has the authority to legally bind the applicant or provider.
2.
Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) verification by submitting a current Internal Revenue Service (IRS) generated document. Acceptable documents include an IRS-generated Letter 147-C, IRS-generated Form 941 (Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return), IRS-generated Form 8109-C (Deposit Coupon), or IRS-generated Form SS-4 (only the official Confirmation Notification of FEIN assignment). Note: The legal name of the applicant or provider on the application must match the name on the IRS document. For further information, please visit the
IRS or call them at (800) 829-4933.
3.
Local Business License, Tax Certificate, and Permit for any city and/or county where business activities are conducted. Note: The name and business address of the applicant or provider on the application must match the business name and business address on all local licenses and permits. For further information, please contact your city business license office and/or visit the
California State Association of Counties Web Site and click on the "California’s Counties" link, and select "County Web Sites."
Notes to doula providers
Doula providers are exempted from the established place of business requirements outlined under CCR, Title 22, Section 51000.60.
Additionally, doulas may use an “administrative location" for the purposes of reporting a business address in the e-Form application. This may be the same as their mailing address but it cannot be a post office box. This address will appear in directories and in the California Health and Human Services Open Data Portal. For the purposes of doula enrollment, an “administrative location" is defined as the physical location associated with the doula's operations, which can include where doulas are dispatched or based. They are not required to provide services at the administrative location. PAVE Resources for doula providers
