Heart Health Postpartum Doula

The mission of Healthy Start is to improve maternal and child health and to reduce poor birth 

 outcomes and infant mortality in Allegheny County. 

Overview: 

As a part of the Healthy Start multidisciplinary team, our doulas have a passion for maternal and child health, and advance family systems and life course approaches to support improved birth outcomes and family and community health and well-being. Our doulas focus on health equity, using evidence-based practice, supporting Healthy Start’s unique contributions to the field of maternal and child health, eradicating disparities faced by members of the Black community, and will work to serve the Healthy Start participant population and the community at large. 

This doula position supports a research project testing an enhanced Postpartum Heart Health Doula intervention to improve maternal cardiovascular health through home-based blood pressure monitoring, heart health education, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)-informed support. 

Duties of the Position: 

• Support the implementation of the Heart Health Doula research strategy, including wireless home blood pressure monitoring (W-HBPM), heart health education, and CBT-informed stress management. 
• Regularly review study materials for understanding and to ensure protocol adherence.  
• Provide in-person support to postpartum participants enrolled in the heart health intervention that is trauma-informed, culturally responsive and centers the lived experiences of Black women and families. 
• Provide direct support to families through home or virtual visits. Current program design anticipates approximately six visits per family, with services extending up to 12 weeks postpartum; however, frequency and duration of visits may be adapted as the project evolves. 
• Facilitate or support facilitation of group sessions for participants, potentially extending up to one year postpartum, depending on project design and participant needs. 
• Support health, physical and mental recovery after birth (vaginal or caesarean). 
• Educate & empower birthing parents on maternal self-management of blood pressure, medication adherence, nutrition, physical activity, stress management, and overall heart health. 
• Provide reminders and support for monthly blood pressure monitoring, medication logs, and medical follow-up visits. 
• Advocate for the mother and promote maternal self-care with emphasis on adherence to blood pressure monitoring and heart health practices. 
• Ensure documentation of all service provision and accurate completion of research data collection related to W-HBPM, fidelity checklists, and group session diary cards. 
• Provide services with professionalism and engage in professional development. 
• Support a positive customer service experience and timeliness of communication for all participants who interact with the program. 
• Provide ongoing education and support to Healthy Start participants and the community. 
• Attend all mandatory meetings and training for skill building and professional development including regular CBT supervision, case consultations, and fidelity review sessions with the study team.  
• Participate in ongoing educational topics for doula skills development. 
• Operate a variety of office equipment, i.e., copier machine, facsimile, etc. 
• Perform other job-related duties within the scope of a Postpartum Doula, as assigned by immediate supervisor. 
• Represent Healthy Start and the doula programs in local, regional, and national meetings and on committees/working groups as needed and assigned. Follow all research-related protocols to ensure ethical and valid study outcomes. 
• Complete research training and certifications as required. 
• Adhere to all research protocols and abide by all ethical considerations. 
• Ensure timely and accurate data collection and entry. 

Qualifications of Position:  

Preference will be given to trained doulas, but prior doula training is not required. Must be committed to completing Postpartum Heart Health Doula training, including education in heart health, wireless BP monitoring, and CBT-informed support. Must demonstrate a passion for maternal and child health, with an understanding or willingness to understand public health concepts and health disparities. Must understand or be willing to understand the current and historical context of birth work and doula support for Black women and within the Black community, with a level of cultural humility in working with the target population.  Must be proficient in or committed to learning Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook.  Preference will be given to doulas that demonstrate deep knowledge of and experience supporting Black women. 

Other: 

• COVID vaccination required 
• Act 33/34 clearances are required  
• A valid unrestricted Pennsylvania Driver’s License 
• Current and valid unrestricted automobile insurance and be listed as an insured driver 

Skills and Knowledge Required: 

• Passion, energy, and drive. 
• Knowledge of the competencies and scope of practice for birth and/or postpartum doulas. 
• Ability to provide education and direct support to program participants and their support (partners, other family members, medical providers, etc.) 
• Knowledge of prevention strategies needs and risk assessment and family systems. 
• Understanding of community and service delivery systems. 
• Ability to motivate and guide participants to keep appointments, obtain goals and take advantage of services. 
• Ability to work with multi-cultural participants/agencies. 
• Attention to detail. 
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal, communication (written and verbal), and analytical skills.   
• Must be able to prioritize and multi-task while working in a fast-paced environment. 
• Commitment to developing an understanding of the Healthy Start model. 
• Ability to follow instructions, take direction from management and comply with the boundaries of the established policies and procedures, while embracing the importance of contributing new ideas. 
• Strong computer literacy (Microsoft Professional Office, Access) and understanding of basic data analytics. 
• Ability to meet deadlines and process assignments in a timely and accurate manner. 
• Work well under pressure and be able to prioritize and manage multiple tasks. 
• Ability to travel within Allegheny County. 
• Commitment to protecting the confidentiality of employee and agency information. 
• Professional demeanor is required as you will interact with people at all levels within the organization, outside of the organization and community. 
• Must possess a valid unrestricted Pennsylvania Driver’s License and current and valid unrestricted automobile insurance and be listed as an insured driver. 
• Personal transportation with employee listed as an insured driver on the vehicle used for work. 

Supervisory Relationship: 

This position works under the direction of the Research Manager with support from the Doula Program Manager.  

Physical Demands: 

• The work performed is 30% office work requiring sitting, typing and answering phones, with occasional light lifting, carrying, stooping, standing, bending, walking and filing. 
• The other 70% of the position is conducted in the field.  Candidate must possess the ability to work at locales outside of the office environment. 
• Out of town and overnight travel may be required on occasion. 

Compensation: 

The starting salary for this position is $18-21/hr with a competitive benefits package that includes professional development and room for self-care. This is a grant-funded position and may be subject to funding availability. 

Email resume and cover letter to hr@hsipgh.org. 

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.