DOULA 1

The Doula 1 identifies families in need and provides home and hospital visitation services for pregnant and parenting City of Milwaukee families.

Home Visiting Services

• Develop and maintain supportive, trusting relationships with clients and their families to promote maternal child health and positive birth outcomes.
• Complete needs assessments to screen clients’ physical, social, psychological, and environmental health status in order to develop and implement care plans, make appropriate referrals, and provide in-person connections to community resources.
• Provide on-going home visits and contact using a phone and digital messaging.
• Serve as an advocate to ensure clients receive appropriate services from governmental, community, medical, and private entities.
• Provide individualized health education relative to adopting safe and healthy behaviors, including healthy parent-child interaction and self-care practices.
• Collaborate with private care providers, allied professionals, and other Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) personnel regarding needs of clients; provide consultation and support to MHD team members.
• Document all client interactions following MHD policies, the Doula Scope of Care, and Medicaid requirements.
• Develop and implement care plans for resolution of assessed needs.

Public Health Education and Social Support

• Engage clients and community partners around concepts of “mothering the mother,” emphasizing the dyadic and transactional nature of early social interaction.
• Create learning environments where participants feel secure, valued, successful, and happy to nurture maternal sensitivity and responsiveness.
• Provide information and ongoing support to clients regarding labor and delivery, birth plan creation, breastfeeding, home preparations, and the emotional and physical recovery following delivery.
• Develop, identify, teach, and/or evaluate educational methods and materials for target audiences.

Outreach and Program Promotion

• Establish and maintain collaborative relationships and educate the public about the BOMB Doula Program and services to recruit and enroll clients.
• Implement both innovative and pre-identified evidence-based protocols within the community in a culturally competent manner.
• Fulfill requests for information, presentations, and participation at community health events, especially those that serve communities with the greatest need.
• Collaborate with MHD divisions to staff community events.
• Use data to guide an outreach strategy that targets diverse and non-traditional locations.
• Assist in the development and distribution of program marketing materials.
• Partner with MHD programs, particularly the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) program, to promote services that meet the needs of families in the City of Milwaukee.

Data Collection and Reporting

• Participate in data collection, program evaluation and record maintenance for departmental reporting, in accordance with programmatic and departmental standards.
• Provide data and feedback relative to service needs; and prepare monthly documentation and annual reports to monitor and pursue continuous quality assurance and improvement.

We welcome qualified individuals with disabilities who are interested in employment and will make reasonable accommodations during the hiring process in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, as amended by the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008.

The Doula must be willing and able to do the following:

• Participate in a work schedule that includes on-call hours to meet client needs; this schedule will include working evenings and weekends based upon the triage of labor and delivery coverage amongst the Doula team members.
• Report to all MHD Program locations and varied service delivery environments, including private homes, hospitals and clinics.
  • NOTE: Work assignments and reporting locations may be adjusted on short notice to provide staff coverage during unexpected absences in order to meet client needs or in emergency situations.
• Lift and move up to 25 pounds, including carrying the Doula bag and equipment, providing comfort measures during labor and delivery (e.g., helping the birthing mother move around), and lifting infants and small children.
• Travel outside the City of Milwaukee, occasionally overnight, for training or for participation in job related meetings.
• May be required to respond to an emergency and/or broad impact event.
• Pre-employment medical requirements include the following:
  • Physical exam w/lift test
  • TB Test, annually throughout employment
  • MMR Vaccine
  • Hepatitis B Vaccination
  • Varicella Vaccine
  • COVID-19 Vaccine
  • Non-DOT Drug Test

1. Four years of full-time equivalent experience with mothers and babies, in maternal and child health, in labor and delivery, and/or conducting doula/birth work, performing duties closely related to the essential functions listed above.

Equivalent combinations of education and experience may be considered however, two years of full-time equivalent experience with mothers and babies, in maternal and child health, in labor and delivery, and/or conducting doula/birth work is required and may not be substituted with education.

2. Certified Doula within one year of appointment and throughout employment; passing probation is contingent upon successfully fulfilling this requirement. For more information on becoming a Certified Doula see the links below:

• Doulas of North America (DONA) International, please visit: https://www.dona.org/become-a-doula/
• Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association (CAPPA), please visit: https://cappa.net/training-certification/certified-labor-doula-cld/  

3. Certified Lactation Counselor® (CLC) certification within one year of appointment and throughout employment; passing probation is contingent upon successfully fulfilling this requirement. For more information regarding becoming a Certified Lactation Counselor® (CLC) with The Academy of Lactation Policy and Practice (ALPP), please visit: https://www.alpp.org/index.php/certifications/certifications-clc.

4. Valid driver's license and possession of a properly insured vehicle for use on the job is required at time of appointment and throughout employment. Mileage reimbursement is provided pursuant to Section 350-183 of The Milwaukee Code.

NOTICE: Please do not attach your academic transcripts to your employment application. The hiring department will verify candidates’ education as part of the background screening process prior to extending any job offers.

• Bilingual in Spanish or Hmong.
• Registration as a Certified Doula.
• Registration as a Certified Lactation Counselor® (CLC) by the Academy of Lactation Policy and Practice (ALPP), Certified Breastfeeding Specialist, or equivalent.

Technical

• Knowledge of health equity concepts and how the social determinants of health impact the local community. 
• Ability to establish and maintain educational and supportive relationships with individuals, families, and groups.
• Knowledge and expertise relative to creating birth plans, conducting pre-and post-natal assessments, and completing documentation.
• Knowledge of contemporary theories of maternal and child health issues, practices, and trends.
• Ability to learn the components of implementing a trauma-informed care model.
• Ability to read, analyze and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, and governmental regulations. 
• Ability to perform community outreach.
• Ability to assist in the development and distribution of program marketing materials.
• Knowledge of and ability to work with computer applications, including database, spreadsheet, word processing, and presentation software as well as case management information systems.
• General knowledge of mathematics and the ability to collect and use data.

Communication and Interpersonal

• Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedural manuals. 
• Ability to speak clearly and persuasively to effectively present information and respond to questions from managers, clients, and the public.
• Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with a multi-cultural, multi-disciplinary staff, the public, various City of Milwaukee officials, and other agencies.
• Ability to work cooperatively, effectively, and fairly with coworkers and residents whose background may differ from one’s own.  
• Ability to provide services in a culturally sensitive manner.
• Ability to manage emotional or difficult client situations.

Judgment and Professionalism

• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to solve practical problems. 
• Ability to remain calm under pressure and handle multiple and changing priorities.
• Ability to think and respond quickly and efficiently in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to plan and organize work effectively.
• Situational ability to recognize the role and scope of duties of the Doula within the health care setting.
• Knowledge of safety principles and the ability to maintain situational awareness when working in the field.

The current salary range (Pay Range 2FN) is $64,200-$71,754 annually and the resident incentive salary range for City of Milwaukee residents is $66,126-$73,907 annually. Appointment above the minimum is possible based upon level of experience and other qualifications and is subject to approval. NOTE: Hours worked in excess of 40 per week are paid overtime.

BENEFITS

The City of Milwaukee provides a comprehensive benefit program that includes the following:

• Defined Benefit Pension Plan 
• 457 Deferred Compensation Plan
• Health and Dental Insurance 
• Paid Parental Leave 
• Alternative Work Schedules    
• Long Term Disability Insurance 
• Group Life Insurance  
• Tuition Benefits    
• Paid Vacation
• 12 Paid Holidays 
• Paid Sick Leave and other paid leaves 
• Flexible Spending Arrangement     
• Commuter Value Pass  

For full details of the benefits offered by the City of Milwaukee, please visit https://city.milwaukee.gov/der/benefits.

THE SELECTION PROCESS will be job related and will consist of one or more of the following: an evaluation of education, experience and/or responses to supplemental questions; a written or performance test, a structured interview, or other assessment methods. The Department of Employee Relations reserves the right to call only the most qualified candidates to structured interviews and performance examinations. Structured interviews may include written exercises. Selection process component weights will be determined by further analysis of the job.

INITIAL FILING DATE - The selection process will be held as soon as practical after the deadline listed above. Receipt of applications may be discontinued at any time after this date without prior notice. However, recruitment may continue until the needs of the City have been met. Qualified applicants will be notified of the date, time, and place of the selection process components. Unless otherwise required by law, the City of Milwaukee will not provide alternative selection process dates or times. The applicant is responsible for attending all phases of the job selection process at the time and place designated by the City of Milwaukee.

• Applications and further information may be accessed by visiting, https://www.jobapscloud.com/MIL/.
• If you would like assistance completing an application, please contact the Department of Employee Relations at (414) 286-3751 or staffinginfo@milwaukee.gov.
• The Department of Employee Relations is located at City Hall, 200 E. Wells St., Room 706, Milwaukee, WI 53202.