Q: What is one of the greatest lessons you have learned from working with people who are incarcerated during the perinatal period?
A: Never underestimate the power of listening and your capacity to support someone by simply holding space with them to share their experience.

Q: What drew you to working with this demographic?
A: My primary area of research was at the intersection of children and families affected by incarceration. After having the opportunity to connect with the Minnesota Prison Doula Project more than a decade ago and learn about their work, I never looked back.

Q: What are the biggest barriers for this demographic?
A: The biggest barriers are related to a lack of awareness and attention to this population. We have such limited information about the number of pregnant people who are incarcerated, their outcomes, etc. Getting access to that information – when it exists – is often incredibly difficult, making research especially challenging.

Interested in learning more about perinatal care for people who are incarcerated and how you can better serve this demographic? Register for the 2021 regional forum today.