What It Really Takes to Work with Carrot Fertility—and How to Qualify for Medi-Cal in California

What It Really Takes to Work with Carrot Fertility — And How to Qualify for Medi-Cal in California

As of 2025, Carrot Fertility has updated its standards for doulas. While some of these requirements are still rolling out, it’s clear that being listed in the official Carrot Doula Directory will be essential moving forward.

Below is a breakdown of everything we know so far—plus details for doulas in California looking to become Medi-Cal approved.

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🧾 Carrot Fertility Requirements (as of 2024)

Doulas must now meet a set of professional standards in order to be listed in Carrot’s upcoming Doula Directory. According to internal updates, these are the key requirements:

• Training and certification from a Medicaid approved course. Approved Certification/Training
  Your doula training must be approved by Medi-Cal or an equivalent credentialing body. In California, doulas seeking Medi-Cal reimbursement must meet specific criteria established by the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). There are two primary pathways to qualification: the Training Pathway and the Experience Pathway.
• Liability Insurance
  – Active, non-expired
  – Minimum of $1 million aggregate coverage
• CPR Certification
  – Must include infant/child and adult CPR
  – Accepted organizations:
  • American Heart Association (AHA)
  • American Red Cross
  • Health & Safety Institute (HSI)
• Additional Requirements
  – Professional or client references
  – Proof of a business/merchant account (e.g., Venmo Business, PayPal Business, Square)

Note: Some requirements like CPR and insurance may vary slightly depending on the employer or Carrot partner programs. It’s best to confirm directly with Carrot or your contracting agency.

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📅 When Will the Carrot Directory Launch?

Carrot has stated the directory will be available “before the end of the year,” but no official date has been confirmed. Once launched, Carrot members will only be able to hire doulas listed in the directory.

There is growing concern about doulas currently being approved with no certification or experience. This is an issue that needs attention—and reform.

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🎥 New Video: What It Takes to Be Approved by Carrot Fertility

We created a video to walk you through everything you need to know about getting listed with Carrot.

Watch to learn:

• What Carrot requires as of May 2025
• What changes may arrive in June 2025
• If certification is really required
• If experience outweighs credentials
• Why people with no training are still being accepted—and why that needs to change

👉 Click here to watch the video

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🌟 How to Become a Medi-Cal Approved Doula (California)

California offers two main pathways to become a Medi-Cal enrolled doula through the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS):

✅ General Requirements

• Be at least 18 years old
• Hold CPR certification (adult and infant)
• Complete basic HIPAA training
• Get a National Provider Identifier (NPI) number
• Apply via the DHCS PAVE portal
• Submit ID, FEIN or SSN, and proof of business license

📘 Training Pathway

Complete at least 16 hours of doula-specific training, including:

• Lactation support
• Childbirth education
• Anatomy and physiology of pregnancy
• Nonmedical labor support techniques
• Community resources list

Also required:

• Certificate of completion listing all covered topics
• Attestation of support for at least 3 births

📘 Experience Pathway

Alternatively, qualify based on experience:

• 5+ years of doula experience (within the last 7 years)
• Three letters of recommendation, one from a licensed provider or enrolled doula

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📝 Enrollment Process

• Apply via the DHCS PAVE Portal
• Make sure your documents are complete, legible, and up to date
• Use helpful guides from organizations like Frontline Doulas

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Final Thoughts

Carrot Fertility is becoming one of the most sought-after names in doula and newborn care—but quality must come first. If you’re looking to get approved, make sure your training, certifications, and experience meet the current standards.

Let’s raise the bar together and protect the integrity of our profession.

— Nancy Hamm & the Gentle Ventures/Postpartum Doula Academy Team