Read the full stored bill text
Florida Senate
-
2026
SB 1456
By
Senator Osgood
32-01247-26 20261456__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to doula workforce development;
3 creating s. 445.0075, F.S.; providing legislative
4 findings and intent; defining terms; establishing the
5 Doula Workforce Development Support Program within the
6 Department of Commerce to provide grants and technical
7 assistance to eligible doula training entities for a
8 specified purpose; requiring the department to
9 prioritize support to high-need regions; providing for
10 the grant of awards under the program; specifying
11 authorized uses of the grant funds; prohibiting the
12 department from using the funds for specified
13 purposes; requiring the department to adopt rules for
14 the administration of the program; requiring the
15 department to consider specified factors in developing
16 grant criteria; requiring the department to submit
17 annual reports to the Governor and the Legislature by
18 a specified date; providing requirements for the
19 report; authorizing the department to require grant
20 recipients to submit certain data; authorizing the
21 department to adopt rules; providing an appropriation;
22 providing an effective date.
23
24 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
25
26 Section 1. Section 445.0075, Florida Statutes, is created
27 to read:
28
445.0075
Doula Workforce Development Support Program
.—
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(1) LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT.—
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(a) The Legislature finds that:
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1.
This state
continues to experience persistent maternal
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morbidity and mortality disparities that disproportionately
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affect Black, Brown, rural, and low-income communities.
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2. Doulas
have been shown to improve maternal and infant
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health outcomes, reduce preventable complications, increase
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prenatal care engagement, and strengthen postpartum recovery.
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3. Existing doula training organizations, community-based
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doula programs, nonprofit entities, and private educational
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institutions serve a critical role in building a maternal health
40
workforce but are under-resourced.
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4. Supporting these entities through the state’s workforce
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development infrastructure is essential to meeting regional
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maternal health needs, especially in urban high-disparity
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counties, rural maternity-care deserts, and regions experiencing
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hospital closures or obstetric service reductions.
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(b) It is the intent of the Legislature to strengthen
the
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state
’s doula workforce by supporting the organizations that
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train, mentor, and deploy doulas, and to expand economic and
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small-business opportunities for community-based birth workers
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through the Department of Commerce.
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(2) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
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(a) “Department” means the Department of Commerce.
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(b) “Doula” means
a
nonmedical birth support professional
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trained to give physical and emotional support during
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childbirth.
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(c) “Doula training entity” means a nonprofit organization,
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community-based program, training collective, academic
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institution, or private educational provider that conducts doula
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training, mentoring, continuing education, or workforce
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placement activities.
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(
d
) “Doula workforce support services” means instructor
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compensation, curriculum development, program expansion,
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administrative support, business development training for
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doulas, mentoring, apprenticeship structures, evaluation and
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data activities, and related capacity-building functions.
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(
e
) “High-need region” means a county or region identified
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by the department as having elevated maternal morbidity rates,
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limited
numbers of
maternity care providers, or insufficient
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doula availability.
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(3) PROGRAM ESTABLISHMENT.—
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(a) The Doula Workforce Development Support Program is
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established within the department to provide grants and
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technical assistance to eligible doula training entities for the
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purpose of expanding the state’s doula workforce.
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(b) The program
shall
prioritize support for entities
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serving high-need regions, including:
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1. Urban counties with high maternal morbidity disparities.
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2. Rural areas with limited or no obstetric providers or
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maternity wards.
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3. Communities affected by recent hospital closures or
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reductions in maternity services.
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(4) GRANTS; ELIGIBILITY; USE OF FUNDS.—
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(a) The department may award competitive or formula-based
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grants to eligible doula training entities to support doula
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workforce development.
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(b) Grant funds may be used for any of the following:
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1. Training, mentoring, or apprenticeship program
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expansion.
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2. Instructor compensation and curriculum modernization.
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3. Recruitment and support of trainees from high-need
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regions.
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4. Program administration, evaluation, and outreach.
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5. Business development training for doulas, including
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assistance with incorporation, insurance, marketing, and
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entrepreneurship.
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6. Stipends or workforce support for newly trained doulas,
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administered through the eligible entity.
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7. Partnership development with hospitals, Medicaid managed
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care plans, clinics, community health workers, Healthy Start
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c
oalitions, or other maternal health
service
providers.
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(c) The department may not use funds to directly recruit,
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hire, or employ doulas as state employees or contractors
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providing clinical services.
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(5) PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION.—
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(a) The department shall establish by rule application
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procedures, grant criteria, allowable costs, reporting
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requirements, and monitoring processes.
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(b) In developing grant criteria, the department shall
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consider all of the following:
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1. The demonstrated capacity of the entity to train or
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mentor doulas.
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2. The geographic areas served and the documented need for
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doula workforce expansion.
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3. The entity’s experience serving culturally diverse and
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high-disparity populations.
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4. Partnerships with local workforce development boards or
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educational institutions.
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5. Plans for sustainability and long-term workforce
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placement.
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(6) REPORTING.—
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(a) By December 1 of each year, the department shall submit
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a report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the
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Speaker of the House of Representatives summarizing all of the
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following:
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1. Grant recipients and award amounts.
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2. The number of doulas trained, mentored, or supported by
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funded entities.
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3. The geographic distribution of program activities.
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4. Workforce outcomes, including business development
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successes and job placements.
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5. Recommendations for program improvements.
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(b) The department may require grant recipients to submit
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data necessary to compile the report.
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(7)
RULES.—
The department may adopt rules necessary to
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implement this section.
136 Section 2.
(1) For the 2026-2027 fiscal year, the
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nonrecurring sum of $7.5 million from the General Revenue Fund
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is appropriated to the Department of Commerce to implement s.
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445.0075, Florida Statutes, relating to the Doula Workforce
140
Development Support Program.
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(2) From the funds appropriated in subsection (1):
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(a) Up to $500,000 may be used by the department for
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administrative expenses, program management, technical
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assistance to grantees, and data collection and evaluation
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activities necessary to carry out the program.
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(b) The remaining funds shall be placed in a
G
rants and
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A
ids – Doula Workforce Development Support
Program
category and
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distributed as competitive or formula-based grants to eligible
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doula training entities in accordance with s. 445.0075, Florida
150
Statutes, with priority given to entities serving high-need
151
regions as defined in that section.
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(3) Funds appropriated in this section which are not
153
encumbered by June 30, 2027, shall revert to the General Revenue
154
Fund.
155 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.