DOULA for VA Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
Introduced
Summary
Would establish a five-year VA pilot to provide doula care to pregnant and postpartum veterans through the VA Whole Health model to test whether doula support improves birth, postpartum, and mental health outcomes. The pilot would prioritize equity and measure effects across diverse regions and populations.
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- Pregnant and formerly pregnant veterans enrolled in VA would be eligible to receive up to 10 doula sessions per veteran: three or four prenatal, one during labor, and three or four postpartum. Sessions may be offered in person or via VA Video Connect.
- Eligible entities that provide comprehensive maternity services could participate, and the pilot may include traditional and community-based doulas. The Office of Women’s Health may recommend payments for services not to exceed $3,500 per doula per veteran.
- The Office of Women’s Health would coordinate the pilot, set training guidelines on military sexual trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder, provide technical assistance, and require a Doula Service Coordinator at each participating facility to manage payments and track sessions.
- Sites must include three Veterans Integrated Service Networks with the highest female veteran enrollment, three with the lowest enrollment, and at least one VISN serving a Frontier State and populations with higher risks for maternal mental health disorders, including American Indian or Alaska Native veterans.
- The pilot would run five years and include annual reports to Congress plus a final report with recommendations on whether VA should continue or expand the model.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Doula pilot for pregnant veterans
If enacted, the bill would require the VA to start a doula services pilot within one year and run it for five years. Enrolled pregnant or formerly pregnant veterans would be eligible for up to 10 doula sessions: 3–4 before labor, 1 during labor, and 3–4 after birth; postpartum visits may use VA Video Connect. The pilot would run in selected VISNs: three with the highest share of female enrollees, three with the lowest share, and at least one VISN in or serving a Frontier State that serves American Indian or Alaska Native veterans and other high-risk populations. The Office of Women’s Health would oversee the pilot, set training on military sexual trauma and PTSD, and could recommend payments up to $3,500 per doula per veteran. Each participating facility would have a Doula Service Coordinator to manage referrals, payments, and session reports, and VA would send annual reports to the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees. Congress could appropriate such sums as necessary for fiscal years 2027 through 2032 to run the pilot.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
NJ • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
AK • R
Sponsored 3/26/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov