HealthConnect One Expands Doula Campaign to Five Cities

HealthConnect One (HC One), a national birth equity nonprofit with 40 years of experience in community-based doula care, is launching a nationwide expansion of its "Doulas Are for Every Body" campaign. The initiative will now include Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, and the Carolinas, building on a successful pilot program in Rochester, New York.

The Rochester pilot generated significant results, including 3.5 million digital impressions and a 257% increase in doula questionnaire downloads, indicating a strong interest in doula services. The campaign also earned an ADDY Award for creative excellence, and Rochester City and Monroe County proclaimed a "Doulas Are for Every Body Day."

"This isn't a theory. It already worked," stated Dr. Twylla Dillion, President & CEO of HealthConnect One. "Rochester showed us that when you meet families where they are—in their ZIP codes, in their language, with a doula who looks like them—they don’t just see the ad. They click through, they ask about insurance and cost, and they find their doula. That is the model we are taking to every city."

The expansion addresses growing concerns about maternal mortality, particularly related to hypertension. In Illinois, maternal hypertension has increased by 103% in a decade, with the highest rates among Black women. Doulas play a crucial role in identifying warning signs and ensuring timely medical intervention.

Each target city will implement a three-pronged approach: a mobile "Doula Lounge" to reach communities, a local lounge offering peer support and referrals to healthcare systems and Medicaid-reimbursed doula services, and a digital PSA campaign targeting specific ZIP codes. The campaign now extends to cover lactation support and the first 1,000 days of a child's life.