Reach Healthcare

Hi, I am Doula Fran, the founder and president of Reach Healthcare and Happy Mama.

After many years of research and engagement in maternal health, it was clear that there was a need for a more comprehensive and simple to-access care model for pregnant people and doula workers. Leveraging the findings and input from women across the country, I developed Happy Mama. I invested my savings into creating this technology-enabled doula practice.

This is our first-ever fundraiser. We need your help in raising the funds needed to reach the next stage of growth in the good work that we do. In this phase, we are launching a major community outreach campaign to further raise awareness about the value of doula support services and perinatal education and to provide access to those who need our services.

(Members of the Happy Mama Team at DONA-Approved Doula Training and Meet-up)

WHAT IS A DOULA?

Doulas are maternity care support professionals, knowledgeable resources, and advocates for birthing people. Doulas help improve maternal-infant health outcomes and improve pregnancy, birth, and postpartum experiences. However, few families are aware of this service.

WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?

The U.S.’s maternal mortality and morbidity rate (MMMR) is the highest amongst all western counties (700+ deaths and 50,000+ morbidities per annum), obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and pre-eclampsia are contributors. Like the nation, in California people of color are the most affected. Delays in seeking care, diagnosing, misdiagnosis, and treatment are the top preventable factors (WHO 2019), as are maternity deserts, homicide, tobacco use, substance abuse, food and housing insecurity, domestic violence, and health illiteracy. Doulas can help, but only 6% of people have accessed doulas. Some states, including California, now offer Medicaid reimbursement for doula services. However, they have provided no outreach programs to inform people and no assistance to support doulas to ensure that they are well-equipped to service the vast, diverse, and growing needs of the population.

WHAT DO WOMEN THINK?

In 2020 I led a research study that looked at the attitudes and perspectives of women during the perinatal period (prenatal through 12 months postpartum). The study revealed over 20% of women would have changed their doctor if they thought that they could. Fifteen (15%) felt that their providers did not care about them nor their babies. They also expressed interest in using technology, but their providers were not offering such options (even though it was the peak of COVID). As a doula, I have also witnessed the confusion and doubts of clients who felt uninformed and, in some cases, misinformed by their care providers.

WHAT IS HAPPY MAMA?

Happy Mama is a tech-enabled full-service doula practice. We address the needs of all those seeking support at any point during their pregnancy and postpartum journey, even if they are a high-risk pregnancy; considering VBAC; have fertility or grief/loss needs; or are unable to pay.

(KUMC Birth Equity Centers evaluation of Happy Mama)

Happy Mama addresses maternal health challenges by:

- Introducing a cost-effective, replicable, scalable model for educating and supporting birthing people through a technology-enabled full-spectrum Happy Mama doula practice

- Deploying the Happy Mama client app and Doula decision support tool

- Building a highly-skilled, culturally competent, well-equipped, community-minded workforce of doulas

WHAT HAS HAPPY MAMA ACCOMPLISHED SO FAR?

Happy Mama is a 2022 CES Tech Innovation Award recipient and is a finalist in a major, soon-to-be publically announced innovation award competition.

To date, we have engaged over 50,000+ people in our campaigns and supported over 250 pregnant people on our platform and through our one-on-one support services. We are now facing a very critical point in our nonprofit business. Many groups are putting a pause on new tech deployment and adoption during this post-pandemic economic upheaval, and during the pandemic, doulas were shut out of the hospitals for safety reasons and only now are being allowed back in.

WHAT MAKES THE HAPPY MAMA TEAM QUALIFIED?

I am a community epidemiologist and public health professional with over 20 years in leadership roles in healthcare and digital health. I am also a DONA International Certified Doula. I’ve worked with migratory farmworkers and within indigenous tribal communities. I also worked with inner-city families. My research and service in maternal health have led me to the specific work that I am doing now and to the specific approach I am taking to this much-needed and extremely fulfilling work. We have an outstanding team of experienced and certified doulas, childbirth educators, lactation consultants, and other healthcare professionals.

(Presentation at the March 2022 Happy Mama Live in Nashville, TN with Vanderbilt Medical Center and Meharry Medical College participation)

HOW IS THE HAPPY MAMA PROGRAM UNIQUE?

While we provide outreach and support for all women of childbearing age and birthing people, we also focus on ensuring individuals from traditionally marginalized and medically underserved communities have access to and partake of our services. We offer special programs for at-risk pregnant people (those with hypertension, gestational diabetes and other co-morbidities), and those who either delay seeking or do not receive any prenatal care, especially pregnant teens and refugees. We run public health media advocacy campaigns and participate in birth collaboratives and network referral programs. We also engage the community in the co-design and continuous improvement of community health education programs with multiple language support services.

Our approach is to listen, confirm that we understand, and reflect what we correctly understood in the programs we provide. The community-based approach of the program ensures that maternal care and support are provided to traditionally underrepresented and underserved populations. We have also designed our program as a path for members of the community to participate in a vocational capacity - helping build the economic power of women and communities

HOW WILL MY DONATION BE USED?

Our goal is to help increase community awareness about this important public health service. Beginning March 22nd, we are launching a nationwide maternal health education outreach initiative, called Happy Mama Live. We were granted event spaces through the Public Library Systems and Walmart for our Happy Mama Live series. We have over 30 events planned across the country this year with an anticipated 150-200 participants.

(Catered breakfast and information materials at a Happy Mama Live held at a local community center)

We will be disseminating information about what a doula is, how to afford a doula, and how to sign-up for doula services as well as provide valuable prenatal information from Happy Mama, the Department of Health, WIC, and other reputable local maternal health support services and resource providers. We will also provide information on careers in the doula profession.

The funds we receive will be used for our Happy Mama Live series which kicks off during World Doula Week, March 22 - 28, and will continue throughout the year. Funds will enable us to set up the event spaces, including equipment and materials.

We also have ongoing and long-term goals for funding:

• To provide free doula services to those who wish to have a doula yet require financial support and

• To provide DONA-approved doula training scholarships for those who wish to start a career as a professional doula

(Moriah, a Happy Mama Ambassador and proud former client)

HOW CAN I TRACK HAPPY MAMA'S PROGRESS?

We post our programs and reports on our website. We also share news on our social media channels.

BONUS...

Our programs are available for anyone who needs them. You, your family, and your friends may benefit from our services and platform. And because we are a 501c3 charitable nonprofit organization, your donation is 100% eligible for a tax deduction and corporate matching.

MAKE A DONATION TODAY