Requires the department of health to convene a maternal health care and birthing standards workgroup to study, evaluate and make recommendations related to the development of maternal health care and birthing standards to ensure that patients receive the highest quality of care.
STATE OF NEW YORK
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8207--A
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
October 27, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. CLARK -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Health -- recommitted to the Committee on Health in accordance with
Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to require the department of health to convene a maternal health
care and birthing standards workgroup; and providing for the repeal of
such provisions upon the expiration thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Maternal health care and birthing standards workgroup. a.
2 The commissioner of health shall convene a workgroup of stakeholders,
3 including but not limited to hospitals, obstetricians, midwives, doulas,
4 maternal health care provider organizations; mental health care provider
5 organizations; and any additional stakeholders that the commissioner
6 deems necessary to study, evaluate and make recommendations related to
7 the development of maternal health care and birthing standards to ensure
8 that patients receive the highest quality of care. These recommendations
9 shall include, but not be limited to, standards that ensure every
10 patient receives:
11 (i) fair, courteous and respectful culturally competent care free of
12 discrimination;
13 (ii) accurate and judgment-free advice and recommendations that allow
14 for informed decision making and consent regarding care and treatment,
15 including risks, benefits, outcomes and alternative procedures;
16 (iii) clear, concise and easily understood information about their
17 care and treatment outcomes, medical team and birthing options, the
18 policies and procedures of the hospital or birthing center, and
19 resources available to them;
20 (iv) an opportunity to discuss their birthing preferences with their
21 care team and have such preferences documented; and
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11862-03-4
A. 8207--A 2
1 (v) adequate support during their pregnancy, labor and childbirth,
2 including access to doula and mental health services.
3 b. No later than one year after the effective date of this act, the
4 workgroup shall submit their recommendations in the form of a written
5 report to the commissioner, the speaker of the assembly, the temporary
6 president of the senate, the minority leader of the assembly and the
7 minority leader of the senate.
8 c. Upon receipt of the workgroup's report, the commissioner shall
9 publish such recommendations on the department of health's website and
10 update all relevant materials provided to the public through the depart-
11 ment's health care and wellness education and outreach program to
12 reflect these standards.
13 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
14 have become a law and shall expire 2 years after such effective date
15 when upon such date the provisions of this act shall be deemed repealed.
