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HB78 • 2026

Birth doulas; provide for certification of by Department of Health.

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE CERTIFICATION OF BIRTH DOULAS BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO ESTABLISH THE COMPETENCY-BASED REQUIREMENTS THAT A BIRTH DOULA MUST MEET TO OBTAIN CERTIFICATION; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO ESTABLISH CERTIFICATION AND RENEWAL FEES, ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES, DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES, CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS, ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS AND FORMS NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT THIS ACT; TO CREATE IN THE STATE TREASURY A SPECIAL FUND TO BE KNOWN AS THE BIRTH DOULA CERTIFICATION FUND, AND PROVIDE THAT MONIES IN THE FUND SHALL BE EXPENDED BY THE DEPARTMENT FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THIS ACT; TO PROVIDE THAT THIS ACT DOES NOT PROHIBIT A PERSON FROM PRACTICING AS A BIRTH DOULA WITHOUT OBTAINING CERTIFICATION UNDER THIS ACT; TO PROHIBIT PERSONS FROM USING THE TITLE "STATE-CERTIFIED BIRTH DOULA" IN CONNECTION WITH THE PERSON'S NAME TO INDICATE OR IMPLY THAT THE PERSON IS A STATE-CERTIFIED BIRTH DOULA WITHOUT BEING CERTIFIED AS A BIRTH DOULA IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS ACT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Education Healthcare
Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Scott
Last action
2026-02-03
Official status
Dead
Effective date
July 1, 20

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass, so it has no legal effect.

Certification of Birth Doulas by the State Department of Health

This bill would establish a certification process for birth doulas managed by the state's health department and set rules, fees, and procedures related to this certification.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the State Department of Health to create a certification program for birth doulas.
  • Establishes competency-based requirements that birth doulas must meet to be certified.
  • Sets certification and renewal fees, administrative procedures, disciplinary actions, continuing education requirements, and forms necessary for implementation.
  • Creates a special fund in the state treasury to manage money collected from certification fees and other sources.
  • Prohibits anyone from using the title 'state-certified birth doula' unless they are actually certified.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Birth doulas who want to be officially recognized by the state through certification.
  • The State Department of Health, which will manage the certification process and fund.
  • People seeking birth doula services who may use this certification as a reference.

Terms To Know

Birth doula
A non-medical support person trained to help birthing individuals during pregnancy, labor, and the postpartum period.
Competency-based requirements
The skills and knowledge a birth doula must have to be certified by the state department of health.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This bill did not pass in its session.
  • It does not require anyone to become certified as a birth doula, but it sets up rules for those who choose to certify.
  • The exact fees and requirements are not detailed here; they would be established by the Department of Health.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/03 (H) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-01-07 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/07 (H) Referred To Public Health and Human Services;Appropriations C

Official Summary Text

Birth doulas; provide for certification of by Department of Health.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
H. B. No. 78 *HR43/R1393* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G3/5
26/HR43/R1393
PAGE 1 (RF\KP)

To: Public Health and Human
Services; Appropriations C
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Scott

HOUSE BILL NO. 78

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE CERTIFICATION OF BIRTH DOULAS BY 1
THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO 2
ESTABLISH THE COMPETENCY-BASED REQUIREMENTS THAT A BIRTH DOULA 3
MUST MEET TO OBTAIN CERTIFICATION; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO 4
ESTABLISH CERTIFICATION AND RENEWAL FEES, ADMINISTRATIVE 5
PROCEDURES, DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES, CONTINUING EDUCATION 6
REQUIREMENTS, ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS AND FORMS NECESSARY TO 7
IMPLEMENT THIS ACT; TO CREATE IN THE STATE TREASURY A SPECIAL FUND 8
TO BE KNOWN AS THE BIRTH DOULA CERTIFICATION FUND, AND PROVIDE 9
THAT MONIES IN THE FUND SHALL BE EXPENDED BY THE DEPARTMENT FOR 10
THE ADMINISTRATION OF THIS ACT; TO PROVIDE THAT THIS ACT DOES NOT 11
PROHIBIT A PERSON FROM PRACTICING AS A BIRTH DOULA WITHOUT 12
OBTAINING CERTIFICATION UNDER THIS ACT; TO PROHIBIT PERSONS FROM 13
USING THE TITLE "STATE-CERTIFIED BIRTH DOULA" IN CONNECTION WITH 14
THE PERSON'S NAME TO INDICATE OR IMPLY THAT THE PERSON IS A 15
STATE-CERTIFIED BIRTH DOULA WITHOUT BEING CERTIFIED AS A BIRTH 16
DOULA IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS ACT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 17
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 18
SECTION 1. The following terms shall be defined as provided 19
in this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise: 20
(a) "Department" means the State Department of Health. 21
(b) "Birth doula" means a person that is a nonmedical 22
birth coach or support person trained to provide physical, 23
emotional and informational support to birthing persons during 24
pregnancy, antepartum, labor, birth and the postpartum period. 25
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Birth doulas advocate for and support birthing people and families 26
to self advocate by helping them to know their rights and make 27
informed decisions. Birth doulas do not provide medical care. 28
(c) "Postpartum period" means the twelve-month period 29
beginning on the last day of the pregnancy. 30
SECTION 2. (1) A birth doula may voluntarily apply for 31
certification from the department under this section. 32
(2) The department shall issue a certification to any 33
applicant who has met the following requirements: 34
(a) Submitted a completed application as required by 35
the department; 36
(b) Satisfactorily completed competencies that meet the 37
requirements established by the department; 38
(c) Has not engaged in unprofessional conduct as 39
defined by the department; 40
(d) Is not currently subject to any disciplinary 41
proceedings; and 42
(e) Paid a certification fee established by the 43
department. 44
SECTION 3. (1) The department shall: 45
(a) In collaboration with community partners who 46
advance equitable access to improve perinatal outcomes and care 47
through holistic services for minority communities, adopt rules 48
establishing the competency-based requirements that a birth doula 49
must meet to obtain certification. The rules must establish 50
H. B. No. 78 *HR43/R1393* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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processes that allow for applicants to meet the competency-based 51
requirements through the following pathways: 52
(i) Successful completion of training and 53
education programs approved by the department; and 54
(ii) Submission of proof of successful completion 55
of culturally congruent ancestral practices, training and 56
education that the department must review and determine whether 57
the training and education meet the competency-based requirements; 58
(b) Establish certification and renewal fees, 59
administrative procedures, disciplinary procedures, continuing 60
education requirements, administrative requirements and forms 61
necessary to implement this act; 62
(c) Maintain a record of all applicants and 63
certifications under this act; and 64
(d) Hire clerical, administrative, and investigative 65
staff as needed to implement and administer this act. 66
(2) There is created in the State Treasury a special fund to 67
be known as the Birth Doula Certification Fund, which shall 68
consist of all fees collected by the department under this act and 69
any other public or private funds received by the department from 70
any source for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this 71
act. Monies in the fund may be expended by the department, upon 72
appropriation by the Legislature, for the administration of this 73
act. Unexpended amounts remaining in the fund at the end of a 74
fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund and 75
H. B. No. 78 *HR43/R1393* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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ST: Birth doulas; provide for certification of
by Department of Health.
investment earnings on amounts in the fund shall be deposited to 76
the credit of the fund. 77
SECTION 4. This act does not prohibit a person from 78
practicing as a birth doula without obtaining certification under 79
this act. However, a person may not use the title 80
"state-certified birth doula" in connection with the person's name 81
to indicate or imply, directly or indirectly, that the person is a 82
state-certified birth doula without being certified as a birth 83
doula in accordance with this act. 84
SECTION 5. This act shall take effect and be in force from 85
and after July 1, 2026. 86