What we do

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The Minnesota Prison Doula Project (MnPDP) provides pregnancy and parenting support to incarcerated parents. We provide birth support from trained doulas, as well as group-based and individual education and support. The goal is to nurture healthy relationships and increase parenting confidence and skills.

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We work with those serving sentences at Minnesota’s only women’s state prison and those held in county correctional facilities throughout Minnesota.

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Doula Care

• Emotional, physical & informational support during the birthing year through a relationship with a trained birth professional for pregnant people as they move through the justice system.

 

Group Education

• Pregnancy & Beyond Group: Weekly prenatal and early parenting education & support group for incarcerated mothers in their birthing year.

• Mothering Inside Group: Weekly parenting education & support group for incarcerated mothers.

• Parenting Inside Out: Weekly parenting education & support group for incarcerated parents.

 

One-on-one Counseling

• 30-minute individual supportive peer counseling for incarcerated parents. Provides an opportunity for emotional support, problem solving to improve coping on the inside with the goal of increasing successful reentry upon release.

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Supportive Visitation

• One-hour parent-child contact visits supported by program staff held within correctional facilities to provide an opportunity to practice parenting skills, maintain connections & repair emotional trauma for children.