Ostara Initiative

WE EXIST TO COLLECTIVELY TRANSFORM SYSTEMS BY REIMAGINING JUSTICE, ADVANCING HEALTH AND RECLAIMING DIGNITY IN OUR POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR ALL PREGNANT AND PARENTING PEOPLE.

MINNESOTA PRISON DOULA PROJECT IN 2021, WE SERVED 159 PARENTS. WE HELD 24 PARENTING EDUCATION AND PREGNANCY SUPPORT CLASSES AND ASSISTED FOUR INCARCERATED MOTHERS IN GIVING BIRTH. THESE NUMBERS ARE LOWER THAN USUAL, BECAUSE OUR STAFF WERE AT TIMES DENIED ACCESS TO THE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. WE WORKED TO CREATE AND EXPAND REMOTE CARE PATHWAYS, WHICH ALLOWED FOR CONTINUATION OF SERVICES REMOTELY.

ALABAMA PRISON BIRTH PROJECT IN 2021, WE COMPLETED 470 CLIENT HOURS. THIS NUMBER REPRESENTS TIME SPENT CONDUCTING PARENTING EDUCATION AND PREGNANCY SUPPORT CLASSES, HOLDING GROUP SUPPORT SESSIONS, PROVIDING HEALTHY MEALS AND MORE. OUR DOULAS HELPED SIX CLIENTS GIVE BIRTH AND THE PROGRAM SUPPORTED ONE INCARCERATED MOTHER IN PUMPING AND SHIPPING BREAST MILK TO HER NEWBORN LIVING WITH TEMPORARY CAREGIVERS IN THE COMMUNITY. 235 NUTRITIOUS MEALS WERE PROVIDED FOR INCARCERATED MOTHERS IN THE JULIA TUTWILER PRISON FOR WOMEN. OUR CLIENT HOURS, CLASSES, BIRTHS, AND BREAST MILK PUMPING NUMBERS ARE LOWER THAN NORMAL DUE TO PAUSE IN SERVICES WHILE THE PRISON LIMITED ACCESS, BECAUSE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. BEING CREATIVE AND PERSISTENT, WE DEVELOPED ALTERNATIVE TOOLS AND DELIVERY METHODS TO CONTINUE SERVING OUR CLIENTS.

IN 2021, THE 8A PROGRAM FOCUSED EFFORTS IN THREE KEY AREAS: 1. THE DEVELOPMENT OF RESOURCE TOOLKITS FOR PRISONS AND OTHER INCARCERATION FACILITIES THAT HOUSE BIRTHING PEOPLE. THE TOOLKITS WERE DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES AND FEEDBACK FROM FACILITIES HAS BEEN VERY POSITIVE. WE WERE ABLE TO CREATE THIS GREAT RESOURCE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CONSTELLATION FUND AND TARGET CREATIVE; 2. CREATING THE ADVANCED PRISON DOULA CERTIFICATION TRAINING PROGRAM WHICH WILL STRENGTHEN AND GROW COMMUNITY-BASED RESOURCES IN THE UNITED STATES; AND 3. THE IDEATION AND EXECUTION OF A PRISON BIRTH VISION CLASS TO BE RELEASED MOTHER'S DAY 2022. 8A ALSO WORKED WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS TO DEVELOP LEGISLATION AND SHARE STORIES OF THOSE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY PRISON BIRTH IN SUPPORT OF CRITICAL LEGISLATIVE CHANGES IN MINNESOTA AND ALABAMA. WE PROVIDED UNIQUE SUBJECT MATTER INSIGHTS AND SUPPORTING RESEARCH DATA TO THE MINNESOTA STATE LEGISLATURE AS THEY WORKED TO PASS THE HEALTHY START ACT IN MAY 2021. THIS GROUNDBREAKING LEGISLATION GIVES JUDGES INCREASED DISCRETION TO SENTENCE PREGNANT WOMEN AND NEW MOTHERS TO COMMUNITY ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION, ALLOWING THEM TO STAY WITH THEIR NEWBORNS FOR UP TO ONE YEAR AFTER BIRTH.