This measure has remained consistently high, with the majority of reporting periods showing 100% of clients agreeing that their SisterWeb doulas encouraged them to use available resources. Occasional slight dips—to 94.7%, 94.8%, 93.5%, and most recently 83.3%—may reflect temporary challenges in follow-up capacity, changes in staffing, or varying levels of familiarity among doulas with resource networks. These small fluctuations are not unexpected in client-centered work but still point to an opportunity to ensure consistent, up-to-date information sharing across all programs and client types. Overall, the data reflects SisterWeb’s strong success in connecting clients with relevant services and reinforcing the value of comprehensive support during the perinatal period.

Doulas are central to this outcome, acting as both advocates and connectors between clients and the broader health and social service landscape. Community partners such as WIC, Family Resource Centers, lactation support programs, and mental health providers are essential referral pathways. SisterWeb’s program and evaluation teams help ensure doulas are trained in resource referral protocols and supported in tracking what resources are being offered and utilized.

Clients feel empowered when doulas introduce services early, explain their relevance in culturally affirming ways, and follow up with encouragement throughout the care relationship. The trust that doulas build allows clients to feel safe asking for help and more likely to follow through with referrals. Tools like postpartum checklists, resource packets, and personalized guidance (especially in a client’s preferred language) help clients make sense of their options and build confidence in accessing them.

To maintain high levels of client encouragement and resource engagement, SisterWeb can continue to offer periodic trainings and updates for doulas on community resource availability. Developing or refining resource guides by neighborhood, language, or cultural preference can support more targeted referrals. Internally, reflection prompts or documentation practices can help doulas track what types of support they’ve discussed with each client. For areas where dips have occurred, SisterWeb can gather qualitative feedback to better understand barriers and adjust support accordingly.