Authorizes the professional certification of doulas; only those certified may provide doula services defined as continuous emotional and physical support provided by a certified doula throughout labor and birth, and intermittently during the prenatal and postpartum periods.
STATE OF NEW YORK
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11147
IN ASSEMBLY
June 8, 2018
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Introduced by COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. Paulin,
Gottfried, Galef, Jaffee, L. Rosenthal, Cook, Seawright, Arroyo,
Blake, Dickens, Pichardo, Thiele, McDonough, Errigo) -- read once and
referred to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to professional
certification of doulas
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding a new section
2 2509 to read as follows:
3 § 2509. Certified doulas. 1. Definitions. As used in this section:
4 (a) "Certified doula" means an individual certified under this section
5 who provides certified doula services.
6 (b) "Certified doula services" means continuous emotional and physical
7 support provided by a certified doula throughout labor and birth, and
8 intermittently during the prenatal and postpartum periods.
9 2. Use of title. Only a person certified under this section shall be
10 authorized to use the title "certified doula".
11 3. Requirements for a professional certification. To qualify as a
12 certified doula, an applicant shall fulfill the following requirements:
13 (a) Application: file an application with the department.
14 (b) Education: satisfactorily:
15 (i) complete an educational program, in accordance with the commis-
16 sioner's regulations; or
17 (ii) submit evidence of certification, the educational preparation for
18 which is determined by the department to be equivalent to the foregoing,
19 from any state or country, satisfactory to the department and in accord-
20 ance with the commissioner's regulations.
21 (c) Examination: pass an examination satisfactory to the department
22 and in accordance with the commissioner's regulations.
23 (d) Age: be at least eighteen years of age.
24 (e) Character: be of good moral character as determined by the depart-
25 ment.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD16207-01-8
A. 11147 2
1 (f) Fee: pay a fee of forty dollars to the department for admission to
2 a department conducted examination for an initial license, a fee of
3 forty dollars for each re-examination, a fee of forty dollars for an
4 initial license for persons not requiring admission to a department
5 conducted examination, and a fee of ten dollars for a limited permit.
6 4. Limited permit:
7 (a) A limited permit to practice certified doula services may be
8 granted for a period not to exceed twelve months to an individual who
9 has to the satisfaction of the department met all the requirements of
10 subdivision three of this section except passing the examination.
11 (b) A limited permit shall entitle the holder to practice doula
12 services only under the direct supervision of a certified doula.
13 § 2. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a
14 law. Effective immediately, the commissioner of health shall make regu-
15 lations and take other actions reasonably necessary to implement this
16 act on such date.