Pregnant inmates — Midwifery or doula services — Reasonable accommodations. (Effective until June 30, 2027.)
RCW 70.48.135
in effect(1) Jails must make reasonable accommodations for the provision of available midwifery or doula services to inmates who are pregnant or who have given birth in the last six weeks. Persons providing midwifery or doula services must be granted appropriate facility access, must be allowed to attend and provide assistance during labor and childbirth where feasible, and must have access to the inmate's relevant health care information, as defined in RCW 70.02.010 , if the inmate authorizes disclosure. (2) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply: (a) "Doula services" are services provided by a trained doula and designed to provide physical, emotional, or informational support to a pregnant woman before, during, and after delivery of a child. Doula services may include, but are not limited to: Support and assistance during labor and childbirth; prenatal and postpartum education; breastfeeding assistance; parenting education; and support in the event that a woman has been or will become separated from her child. (b) "Midwifery services" means medical aid rendered by a midwife to a woman during prenatal, intrapartum, or postpartum stages or to a woman's newborn up to two weeks of age. (c) "Midwife" means a midwife licensed under chapter 18.50 RCW or an *advanced registered nurse practitioner licensed under chapter 18.79 RCW. (3) Nothing in this section requires governing units to establish or provide funding for midwifery or doula services, or prevents the adoption of policy guidelines for the delivery of midwifery or doula services to inmates. Services provided under this section may not supplant health care services routinely provided to the inmate.
(1) Jails must make reasonable accommodations for the provision of available midwifery or doula services to inmates who are pregnant or who have given birth in the last six weeks. Persons providing midwifery or doula services must be granted appropriate facility access, must be allowed to attend and provide assistance during labor and childbirth where feasible, and must have access to the inmate's relevant health care information, as defined in RCW 70.02.010 , if the inmate authorizes disclosure.
(2) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(a) "Doula services" are services provided by a trained doula and designed to provide physical, emotional, or informational support to a pregnant woman before, during, and after delivery of a child. Doula services may include, but are not limited to: Support and assistance during labor and childbirth; prenatal and postpartum education; breastfeeding assistance; parenting education; and support in the event that a woman has been or will become separated from her child.
(b) "Midwifery services" means medical aid rendered by a midwife to a woman during prenatal, intrapartum, or postpartum stages or to a woman's newborn up to two weeks of age.
(c) "Midwife" means a midwife licensed under chapter 18.50 RCW or an *advanced registered nurse practitioner licensed under chapter 18.79 RCW.
(3) Nothing in this section requires governing units to establish or provide funding for midwifery or doula services, or prevents the adoption of policy guidelines for the delivery of midwifery or doula services to inmates. Services provided under this section may not supplant health care services routinely provided to the inmate.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=70.48&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026