Code of Virginia § 32.1-77.1. State-certified doulas; certification.
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A. As used in this section, "state-certified doula" means a trained, community-based nonmedical professional who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to a pregnant person during the antepartum or intrapartum period or during the period up to one year postpartum and who has been certified by a body approved by the Board for such purpose in accordance with the provisions of this section.
B. No person shall use or assume the title "state-certified doula" unless such person is a community-based doula who
(i)has received training and education as a doula from an entity approved by a body approved by the Board for such purpose and
(ii)has been certified as a doula by a body approved by the Board for such purpose.
C. No entity shall hold itself out as providing training and education necessary to meet the requirements of clause
(i)of subsection B unless its curriculum and training program has been approved by a body approved by the Board for such purpose.
D. The Board shall adopt regulations setting forth the requirements for
(i)use of the title "state-certified doula" and
(ii)training and education necessary to satisfy the requirements for certification by the Department as a state-certified doula.
E. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection B, a person who is certified by a national credentialing organization that is approved by a body approved by the Board for such purpose who does not meet the requirements of clause
(i)of subsection B shall also be eligible for state certification.
F. Certification requirements for state-certified doulas shall reflect national best practices pertaining to community-based doula training and certification.
G. The Department shall make a registry of state-certified doulas in the Commonwealth available to the public through a body approved by the Board to certify doulas. The Department shall also make a list of entities approved to provide training and education necessary to meet the requirements of clause
(i)of subsection B available to the public through a body approved by the Board to certify doulas.
H. Nothing in this section shall prohibit any person from practicing as a doula in the Commonwealth, regardless of whether such person is certified in accordance with the provisions of this section.
2020, c. 724 .