Community Education
Training Opportunities for Birthworkers.
Open Arms is deeply committed to nurturing the potential of all birthworkers, especially those within communities that are most impacted by racial inequity and health disparities. We connect prospective birthworkers from Black, Indigenous, Latine, and other communities of color to scholarships for trainings, as well as offer our own, free of cost.
Increasing Access to Community Care
Open Arms trains local community members to serve their own communities as care specialists in doula support, lactation, and childbirth education. In 2022, we partnered with Shafia Monroe Consulting to train seven BIPOC doulas, and in 2022, we provided free Childbirth Educator training to Washington State residents. Since 2020, Open Arms has trained 266 birthworkers.
Stay up-to-date with upcoming training opportunities by checking our Careers & Volunteering page for announcements.
Community Doula List
As spots open up on the Doula Services team, we consult our Community Doula List to fill the space. We refer people to this list when they do not qualify for our services or when our caseload is full.
Interested in joining the Community Doula List? Fill out our form.
Partner Spotlight
Shafia Monroe, MPH, DEM, CDT
“I have known and worked with Open Arms Perinatal Services for more than ten years. I love their commitment to increasing capacity to serve communities of color, with their direct services and training. And I value the partnership that has developed between Open Arms and Shafia Monroe Consulting in this work.”