Public Health Doula Skills: Practical Workflows for Ethical, Sustainable Medicaid Doula Care

Medicaid-funded doula work can be deeply impactful—and uniquely vulnerable to administrative overload and unpaid labor when managed care organization (MCO) billing systems are confusing. In this session, Terry Wong will simulate the process and experience in becoming a Medicaid Doula. This Live Lab has three parts: (1) participants will learn how to assess whether Medicaid work fits their business model; (2) what additional skills and compliance practices are required (enrollment, documentation, HIPAA-aware workflows); and (3) how begin servicing Medicaid clients like conducting intakes and checking eligibility. Using a practical comparison of three states coverage structures, visit types, and MCO realities; offering doulas with public health–informed workflows to deliver ethical, culturally responsive support while protecting sustainability. Through case simulations, live polls, and skills practice, attendees build a state-aligned equitable service blueprint and leave with Medicaid enrollment requirement checklists, a client tracking + billing cheat sheet, and plug-and-play scripts/templates.