(Providence, RI)--Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza announced funding on Tuesday for local doula service providers.Doulas are non-medical professionals who provide physical, emotional and informational support to pregnant women.City Councilwoman Nirva LaFortune said black women in the U.S. experience some of the worst maternal health outcomes in the nation, and that doulas play a vital role in increasing their survival rates.Four applicants were awarded five grants of four-thousand dollars each.