The number of Birth Core Competency (BCC) trainings has remained steady, with approximately one training offered per month, in line with the program’s goal of three per quarter. A modest increase occurred in one quarter due to an additional pelvic floor training that was offered in response to a timely opportunity. A brief dip in training occurred between late 2023 and early 2024, primarily due to the loss of the Operations and Workforce Development departments, which previously supported coordination of these sessions. In January 2024, SisterWeb addressed this gap by contracting with Birthland, which has since provided consistent delivery of monthly BCC trainings and helped restore stability to the program.

SisterWeb’s primary partner in delivering BCC trainings is Birthland, which now provides consistent, scheduled sessions each month. Additional collaboration has come from the EMBRACE Black Prenatal team at UCSF and the Champion Dyad Initiative, both of which have contributed mentorship and topic-specific sessions such as informed consent. Past partners have included the Mid-Coastal California Perinatal Outreach Program and national conferences like the Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP). While UCSF and EMBRACE are mission-aligned, their direct involvement in BCC delivery has been limited in 2024 and 2025. Moving forward, there are opportunities to engage new partners—such as pelvic floor educators, lactation consultants, and clinicians from UCSF or Kaiser—who may be willing to offer their expertise through guest sessions.

Maintaining a reliable training schedule through a contract with Birthland has been the most effective approach. This partnership provides structure and ensures that core trainings continue regardless of internal staffing limitations. In addition, flexibility has proven valuable—accepting training opportunities from skilled community partners, such as the pelvic floor educator, has added depth to the program without requiring additional planning resources. A hybrid model of consistent monthly training supplemented with occasional guest-led sessions appears to be the most sustainable and impactful approach.

The focus moving forward is to maintain the current contract with Birthland to ensure steady, high-quality BCC trainings each month. There are no plans to increase frequency; instead, the priority is to keep content relevant and aligned with doula needs. Regular engagement with doulas to identify priority topics will guide future training content. When relevant opportunities arise, SisterWeb can continue to invite guest trainers with specific expertise to supplement the core curriculum. These steps will help balance training with other priorities, such as mentorship and client care, while maintaining program quality and sustainability.