At a maternal health roundtable on Monday, first lady — and now U.S. Senate candidate — Tammy Murphy backed new state policy that would expand doula access in hospitals around New Jersey. It’s a key element of her Nurture NJ initiative, which has worked to increase the use of doulas, especially for women of color, where maternal death rates are high.
Tonique Griffin, a doula with the Partnership for Maternal and Child Health of Northern New Jersey, said the proposal would help bring needed consistency. “This bill will help a lot, because I’ve come across different policies at different hospitals,” she said. “I’ve actually been told that you don’t need to be here after a C-section, when that’s when I’m a lot more effective as well. So some uniformity, some clarity going forward will help a lot.”
