DOULA for VA Act of 2026

Plain-English Summary

This bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to create a test program — called a pilot program — that provides doula services to eligible veterans. A doula is a trained, non-medical support person who assists individuals before, during, and after childbirth by offering physical comfort, emotional support, and guidance throughout the pregnancy and postpartum process. The pilot program would essentially allow the VA to offer this type of care as part of its health services for qualifying veterans.

The bill primarily affects veterans who are pregnant or planning to give birth, allowing them to access doula support through the VA healthcare system rather than having to find and pay for it on their own. Doulas have been shown in various studies to help improve birth outcomes, reduce stress, and support new parents during a physically and emotionally demanding time. By establishing this as a pilot program, the VA would be able to test how well the service works within its system before deciding whether to expand it more broadly.

Because this is a pilot program, it would likely be limited in scope — possibly available only in certain locations or to a specific group of veterans at first. The results would help the VA and Congress evaluate whether the program is effective and worth expanding. The bill has been introduced in the Senate and referred to the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, which means it is still in the early stages of the legislative process and has not yet become law.