The “Doula to Accompany and Comfort”, a non-sectarian program of the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services (JBFCS) recruits, trains and supervises well-prepared volunteers who visit and provide companionship to dying people who have limited social support, or no support at all.

Description and/or History:
Well-trained volunteers can provide significant emotional and social support, comfort and practical assistance to patients near the end of life. Whether the patient is dying in a hospital, nursing home or at home, the dying process brings intense emotions including fear and loneliness. Studies have shown that nursing home and hospital staff members generally spend less time with dying patients than with those for whom there is hope of recovery.
The “Doula to Accompany and Comfort” program, currently in its ninth year, serves terminally ill patients. All religious and ethnic groups are represented among both Doulas and patients. The program is a collaboration between the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services (JBFCS) and hospitals, nursing homes and community institutions. At home referrals are made by community based-organizations, out-patient health care centers, religious organizations and individuals. The JBFCS Doula program recruits, educates, supervises and coordinates the volunteers. The collaborating institutions are responsible for selecting appropriate patients, introducing the volunteers, and supporting the Doulas as needed.
Doula volunteers complete a course consisting of eight 1 ½ hour sessions and are asked to volunteer for a minimum of 18 months after the training. Doulas serve one patient at a time until death, providing continuity of care if the patient moves from one setting to another. Doulas receive individual support from the JBFCS staff regularly. They are encouraged to attend monthly support meetings at JBFCS for continued education and support. Well prepared Doula volunteers can: minimize the sense of isolation; provide emotional, spiritual and social support; comfort, practical assistance and advocacy; thereby making a significant difference.

Institutions that want a larger Doula program anchored in their own facility, have recruited their own volunteers, using the Doula professional staff to conduct training and supervise the institutions’ in-house staff.
JBFCS provides consultation nationally assisting agencies to replicate the Doula to Accompany and Comfort Program. This enables those agencies to join the JBFCS Doula Alliance as an Allied Service Provider. A training manual which assists in replication of the program is available.

Contact people:

Judith Kahn, Program Director, (212) 399-2685 x220, (email) Amy Levine, Assistant Director, (212) 399-2685 x214, (email)

Address:

120 West 57 St. 6th Floor New York, NY 10019 (See a map)

Directions:

We are located on Seventh Ave. between 54th and 55th St. Take the R, N or W train to 57th St or the 1,A,B,C,D to 59th St. Columbus Circle. The M7 Bus stops at 7th Ave. and 54th St.   Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: 57th St. R, N, W,   Walk distance (in minutes): 2   Nearest Bus Stop: M7, 1 minute walk