News and Stories

On September 10, 2026, we celebrated our second Community Doula Program graduation alongside our doulas, partners, leadership, and supporters. The celebration provided an opportunity to recognize the doulas’ accomplishments in a certificate ceremony and hear directly from them about how the program shaped their experiences, strengthened their skills, and connected them to their communities. Since completing their training, Cohort 2 doulas have supported 35 births and continue to provide care to families across San Diego County.

Since launching in February 2025, the UC San Diego Community Doula Program has advanced responsive perinatal care for vulnerable families across San Diego County. Led by the UC San Diego Center for Community Health’s Refugee and Immigrant Health Unit, UC San Diego Health’s Volunteer Doula Program, and the UC San Diego Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, the program trains community members to provide culturally and linguistically responsive support to families during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.

For its second cohort, the program partnered with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) San Diego to connect with Afghan community members interested in becoming doulas. In October 2025, eight Afghan community members completed doula training, expanding access to support that reflects the languages, cultures, and experiences of the families they serve.

One patient shared the impact of this support:

“She was there for me, much like a sister would be. Throughout the challenges I faced, she offered her unwavering support and guidance. Her generosity of time and effort often exceeded what one might expect from a volunteer. Despite her own busy schedule, she went above and beyond to ensure I felt confident and capable, proving to be an invaluable source of strength and encouragement.”

This work demonstrates the impact of investing in community members as leaders and care providers and building strong partnerships with organizations like IRC San Diego. Together, we are expanding access to trusted, culturally and linguistically responsive perinatal support for San Diego’s diverse families. 

As we look ahead, we are excited to begin training our third cohort of community doulas in early 2027. We are deeply grateful to the San Diego Foundation for their generous support, which will allow us to continue to build up our community doula workforce, establish meaningful partnerships, and continue strengthening support for refugee and immigrant families across San Diego County.

For inquiries, collaboration opportunities, or to support the program, please contact Program Managers:

April Ricotta – aricotta@health.ucsd.edu 

Segen Zeray – szeray@health.ucsd.edu