Requires hospitals to establish policies and procedures regarding domestic violence; establishes ongoing training programs on domestic violence for all current and new hospital employees; designates a hospital staff member to coordinate services to victims; provides for the interaction of hospitals with community domestic violence service providers in order to coordinate services to victims of domestic violence; requires hospitals to offer to contact a local advocate when admitting or treating a confirmed or suspected victim of domestic violence.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
3311
2009-2010 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 16, 2009
___________
Introduced by Sen. OPPENHEIMER -- read twice and ordered printed, and
when printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to hospital domestic
violence policies and procedures
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 2805-t to read as follows:
3 § 2805-t. Hospital domestic violence policies and procedures. 1.
4 Every general hospital shall: (a) develop, maintain and disseminate
5 written policies and procedures for the identification, assessment,
6 treatment and referral of confirmed or suspected cases of domestic
7 violence; (b) establish, and implement on an ongoing basis, a training
8 program for all current and new employees regarding the policies and
9 procedures established pursuant to this section; (c) designate a staff
10 member to coordinate services to victims of domestic violence; and (d)
11 contact the domestic violence or victim assistance organization provid-
12 ing victim assistance to the geographic area served by such hospital to
13 establish the coordination of services to domestic violence victims.
14 2. Upon admittance or commencement of treatment of a confirmed or
15 suspected domestic violence victim, such hospital shall advise the
16 victim of the availability of the services of a battered women's or
17 victim assistance organization. If after receiving such advice the
18 domestic violence victim wishes the presence of a domestic violence or
19 victim assistance advocate, such hospital shall contact the appropriate
20 organization and request that one be provided.
21 3. The commissioner shall promulgate such rules and regulations as may
22 be necessary and proper to carry out effectively the provisions of this
23 section. Prior to promulgating such rules and regulations, the commis-
24 sioner shall consult with the office for the prevention of domestic
25 violence and other such persons as the commissioner deems necessary.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09165-01-9
S. 3311 2
1 § 2. This act shall take effect January 1, 2010. Effective immediate-
2 ly, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rules or regulations
3 necessary for the implementation of the foregoing section of this act on
4 its effective date is authorized and directed to be made and completed
5 on or before such effective date.
