The Maternal Health Innovation Program

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) and the Division of Public Health (DPH) established the Maternal Health Innovation Program to improve maternal health outcomes in Wisconsin.

In the Fall of 2024, the City of Milwaukee was selected as a grantee of the program by partnering with Conscious Community Curators, owned and run by Milwaukeeans and husband and wife Joshua Liston-Zawadi and Symphony Swan-Zawadi. Conscious Community Curators is a family-owned consulting firm dedicated to supporting families and communities through services that promote growth, development, and well-being.

Through the partnership, the City of Milwaukee is offering the free Dad Doula Program, a for-profit business and program started by Liston-Zawadi during the pandemic to support fathers and non-birthing partners get ready to enter into the journey of parenthood. Melanated Daddy/Dad Doula University Programs are under the umbrella of Conscious Community Curators.

“[It’s about] having spaces to educate fathers not just on their rights but their obligations…[and] we need spaces for fatherhood to be praised,” said Liston-Zawadi. “It’s okay to not know, but don’t let not knowing make you not present.”

The grant offers up to $100,000 from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025, with the potential for renewal for three additional years.

City of Milwaukee Deputy Commissioner of Family and Community Health Erica Wright said the city is working to counter the crab-and-barrel narrative and not reinvent the wheel by partnering with others who are already doing the work.

“The Health Department is investing in places where we see gaps,” said Wright. “We are investing in a trusted messenger.”

Wright said a majority of the grant goes directly to Liston-Zawadi’s business.

“Josh already has a beautiful platform,” said Wright. “He’s a vibrant, passionate character that you just can’t miss.” She added that they hit a gold mine by working with Liston-Zawadi.

Diving Into the Dad Doula Program

The City of Milwaukee will offer the Dad Doula Program every first and second Saturday of the month until September 2025. According to the grant documents submitted by the city, year one of the program involves investment in the Dad Doula University Program, which will provide workshop cohorts for eligible fathers/partners. The cohorts run two to four weeks each, with 10-15 people per group.

“I’ve seen too many times when people disregard the father…so how do we get our fathers involved and have access to their kids,” said Wright. “We have to stop creating walls for them to be parents.”

Year one will also include the implementation of Fatherhood Inclusion and Support Professional Development for the home visitation and doula teams to enhance the direct services the programs provide to fathers/partners, along with developing the staff’s skillsets and capacity to genuinely, equitably, and competently serve fathers/partners.

Year two will continue the Dad Doula programming, along with the expansion of the professional development into other departments like Family and Community Health and programs like WIC.

Ending with years three and four, the city will continue to offer Dad Doula cohorts but will focus on quality improvement work for all involved programs around improved fatherhood engagement and developing a proof of concept for and gaining important maternal health data.

Focusing on the Father and Non-birthing Partners

As a father himself, Liston-Zawadi saw the gaps in the support fathers and non-birthing partners received during the journey to parenthood. Many times, Liston-Zawadi felt left out of the process and lost on how to be the best support for his wife. Liston-Zawadi quickly found his power and started speaking about his rights as a father. He understood that he couldn’t be the only father to experience the lack of attention and community during this life-changing time, so he created the Dad Doula Program, which includes a 50-page workbook.

“Fatherhood is beautiful…and I would never give it up if I had to,” said Liston-Zawadi.

Liston-Zawadi is a certified doula, Army vet, surgical tech, and Pastor. His program does not certify doulas but instead empowers fathers and non-birthing partners. The Dad Doula Program has worked with the Army, the African American Breastfeeding Network, and other partners around the country. Liston-Zawadi has plans on expanding into Georgia.

The Dad Doula Program has always been free for fathers and non-birthing partners, and Liston-Zawadi said it will always be that way.

“I did this to help fathers, and what I created was a system to help fathers/non-birthing fathers to take charge,” said Liston-Zawadi.

According to Liston-Zawadi, the Dad Doula Program has helped 500 families in five years.

The Dad Doula Program recently announced its permanent space inside the Sherman Phoenix in Milwaukee.

To enroll in the Dad Doula Program, click here.