28 New Doulas Graduate at Kingsborough
28 New Doulas Graduate at Kingsborough
28 New Doulas Graduate at Kingsborough
Kingsborough Community College honored 28 graduates of its Maternal Health and Doula Training program at a ceremony Aug. 11 that was attended by family, friends, faculty and community partners.
Special guests included Councilmember Mercedes Narcisse; Kingsborough President Suri Duitch; Amanda Spence of the NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene; and Shawnee Benton Gibson, co-founder and CEO of the Spirit of a Woman Leadership Development Institute and the ARIAH Foundation. Benton Gibson’s advocacy for Black maternal health is featured in the award-winning documentary “Aftershock.”
Launched in September 2023, the program, part of the division of Workforce Development and Continuing Education, has trained 268 doulas to date.
“Our doula training program addresses New York City's maternal health crisis, especially the disparities affecting Black and Brown women,” noted Duitch. “The program trains a diverse group of doulas who reflect the communities they serve, supporting the city's efforts to improve maternal and infant outcomes.”
The 48-hour course, offered live online, includes 16 sessions covering maternal health, lactation support, childbirth education and birth doula training. Graduates receive a CUNY Certificate of Completion in Maternal Health and several DONA International certificates, qualifying them for the first steps toward birth doula certification.
“By fostering culturally competent, community-centered care, Kingsborough strengthens the healthcare workforce and advances equity and access in Brooklyn and beyond,” said Duitch.
Doulas trained through Kingsborough are now working independently or with organizations such as the Caribbean Women’s Health Association, Brooklyn Perinatal Network and the Citywide Doula Initiative.
Registration is open for the next birth doula training, beginning Sept. 29. Partial scholarships and payment plans are available. Visit ce.cuny.edu/kbcc/courseDisplay.cfm?schID=133178 for more information.
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