Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct
Our Standard
The National Black Doulas Association® is committed to an ethical, unifying, and professional community.
Our members, certified professionals, trainees, trainers, mentors, volunteers, and other individuals representing or participating in NBDA are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that supports dignity, accountability, respect, professional integrity, and the well-being of the communities we serve.
Participation in NBDA programs or use of an NBDA credential carries a responsibility to uphold these standards.
1. Respect and Human Dignity
NBDA professionals should treat clients, families, colleagues, community members, and one another with dignity and respect. Discrimination, harassment, bullying, abuse, threats, intimidation, or demeaning conduct are inconsistent with NBDA standards.
2. Culturally Responsive Care
NBDA professionals should provide care and education that honors the lived experiences, culture, autonomy, values, and choices of the individuals and families they serve. Professionals should avoid imposing personal beliefs or values on clients.
3. Client Autonomy
Clients have the right to make their own informed decisions. A doula may provide education, emotional support, physical comfort, resources, and advocacy support, but should not make decisions for the client.
Professionals should respect a client’s right to:
• Ask questions
• Seek additional information
• Accept or decline recommendations
• Change providers when possible
• Express concerns
• Make informed decisions about their own care
4. Professional Scope
Doulas provide nonclinical support unless they separately hold another professional license or credential authorizing clinical services.
Within the doula role, professionals should not:
• Diagnose medical conditions
• Prescribe medications
• Perform unauthorized clinical procedures
• Interpret medical testing as a clinician
• Make medical decisions for a client
• Present personal opinions as medical advice
When a concern is outside the doula’s scope, the client should be encouraged to communicate with an appropriate qualified healthcare professional.
5. Honest Representation of Credentials
NBDA professionals must accurately represent their training, certification, experience, services, professional role, and NBDA affiliation. Completion of an NBDA training is not the same as NBDA certification.
6. Professional Boundaries
Professionals should maintain clear and appropriate boundaries with clients and colleagues, including boundaries involving personal relationships, financial relationships, communication, social media, physical contact, confidential information, and conflicts of interest.
7. Confidentiality and Privacy
Professionals should protect private information learned through their work. Client stories, photographs, medical information, birth experiences, screenshots, communications, or identifying information should not be publicly shared without appropriate permission.
8. Informed Agreements and Financial Integrity
Professionals should clearly communicate their services, fees, expectations, boundaries, and cancellation or refund policies before services begin whenever possible.
Professionals should:
• Use clear agreements
• Maintain accurate records
• Avoid deceptive financial practices
• Honor written commitments
• Communicate changes promptly
• Avoid intentionally misleading clients about coverage or services
9. Professional Communication
Disagreement does not justify disrespectful behavior. NBDA community members are expected to communicate professionally in email, text messages, social media, community forums, Discord, trainings, events, and professional meetings.
Harassment and exclusionary behavior are not acceptable.
Examples include:
• Threats
• Discriminatory language
• Personal attacks
• Unwelcome sexual attention
• Repeated harassment
• Encouraging abusive conduct
• Sharing sexually explicit or violent material inappropriately
• Peer-to-peer horizontal violence
When someone reasonably asks that inappropriate conduct stop, that request should be respected.
10. Conflicts and Accountability
Professionals should address disagreements constructively whenever possible. When a mistake occurs, the focus should be on accountability, correction, learning, appropriate communication, and preventing recurrence.
11. Safety
Professionals should not knowingly engage in conduct that creates an unreasonable risk of harm to a client, colleague, participant, or community member.
12. NBDA Professional Community
Individuals representing NBDA should conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the organization’s mission and professional standards. Use of an NBDA membership, credential, directory listing, trainer role, mentor role, volunteer position, or other affiliation does not permit an individual to speak on behalf of NBDA unless authorized.
Concerns About Conduct
Concerns involving possible violations of the NBDA® Code of Ethics may be submitted through the NBDA grievance process.
Submitting a grievance does not automatically establish that a violation occurred.
NBDA will review concerns according to the applicable grievance process and determine appropriate organizational next steps based on the information available and NBDA’s authority.
Acknowledgment
By participating in the NBDA professional community or maintaining an applicable NBDA affiliation, individuals agree to uphold the standards of professionalism, ethics, respect, and accountability described in this Code.
