Let's Talk Medicaid Doula Support!

/

Our doula Renee discussed doula support options for SD Medicaid recipients. Watch the replay at the bottom (or read on) and learn what's covered, how to qualify, and why doula support makes such a difference!

Doula Support Covered by South Dakota Medicaid: What You Need to Know

By Renee Forred, Co-Owner of Transitions: Doula & Life Services

We are thrilled to share a truly exciting development for pregnant and postpartum families in South Dakota — doula support is now covered by South Dakota Medicaid! This is a game-changer for so many families who might not have been able to access this kind of care before, and I want to walk you through what it means, who qualifies, and how to get started.

What Is a Doula?

Let’s start with the basics. A doula is a professional who provides physical, emotional, and informational support throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. At Transitions: Doula & Life Services, our doulas are trained in birth and postpartum, and show up with evidence-based resources, encouragement, and hands-on help.

There are different types of doulas, but when we talk about Medicaid coverage, we’re focused on birth and postpartum doulas. These are the doulas who:

  • Support you in pregnancy with preparation, resources, and birth planning

  • Are present at your labor and delivery to help you feel confident and supported

  • Visit you at home after birth to nurture your recovery and transition to parenthood

What Changed? Medicaid Coverage in South Dakota

Before January 1, 2025, doula care in South Dakota was typically an out-of-pocket expense. A few private insurance companies offered partial reimbursement, but it wasn’t guaranteed and often required families to pay up front and file paperwork themselves.

Now, that’s changed.

Thanks to ongoing collaboration between doulas, advocates, and state officials, South Dakota Medicaid will now cover up to $1,800 in doula services for eligible recipients. The state recognized what doulas have known all along: continuous, compassionate, culturally informed support makes a real difference in outcomes — from maternal mental health to reduced birth trauma to better breastfeeding success.

What Does $1,800 in Doula Support Look Like?

At Transitions, we’ve created a comprehensive Birth + Postpartum Package that is Medicaid-approved and available to everyone — whether you're Medicaid-eligible, paying privately, or using insurance. It includes:

✅ Two Prenatal Visits
To get to know you and your birth team, plan for your birth experience, and help prepare for postpartum. This may also include customized childbirth or breastfeeding education.

✅ Birth Support
Your doula will be on-call and physically present during your labor and birth, offering continuous emotional and physical support — massage, comfort measures, advocacy, and more.

✅ One Postpartum Visit
Once you're home, your doula visits to check in, talk through your birth experience, and help troubleshoot early feeding or newborn care.

✅ 20 Hours of Daytime Postpartum Support
A postpartum doula comes to your home to care for you while you heal. That might look like helping with newborn care, feeding support, meal prep, light chores, or simply giving you space to rest while knowing your baby is in capable hands.

This is real, hands-on, practical support — and Medicaid is covering it!

How to Get Started

If you're pregnant and have South Dakota Medicaid — or if you’ve recently delivered and need postpartum help — the process is simple:

  1. Contact your provider (OB, midwife, or primary care) and ask them to complete a Medicaid doula referral.

  2. Choose your doula. Not every doula is enrolled in Medicaid, but we have several Medicaid-approved doulas on our team ready to support you.

  3. We take it from there. Once the referral is processed, we handle the paperwork and get started with your care!

Let’s Talk

If you have questions about Medicaid doula support or want to learn more about how this could help you or someone you know, reach out!

📩 DM us on Instagram @transitionsdoula
🌐 Visit www.transitionsdoulaservices.com
📧 Email us through our website contact form

We are here to serve, support, and celebrate you during this incredible life transition. Doula care shouldn’t be a luxury — and now, in South Dakota, it doesn’t have to be.

Thank you for being part of this growing movement toward compassionate, equitable care. Let’s keep the conversation going.