NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A3508
SPONSOR: Bichotte Hermelyn TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to doula friendly
work spaces
PURPOSE:
To increase the amount of information we have regarding the respectful
integration of doula services in birthing delivery teams and healthcare
practices and facilities and to recommend metrics for more formally
Designating Doula Friendly Spaces
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS: Section 1.
Legislative Findings.
Section 2. Mandates the department of health to prepare a comprehensive
study and report on the integration of doula services in birthing deliv-
ery teams and healthcare delivery facilities and recommend metrics to
formally designate doula friendly spaces.
Section 3. Establishes the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Maternal mortality has a devastating impact on the State of New York.
Providing improved access to community doula care and support services
is a proven way to address maternal morbidity and maternal mental
health, and to reduce birth complications for the mother and baby,
particularly in vulnerable patient populations like the Medicaid popu-
lation. A doula is a trained, non-clinical professional who provides
physical, emotional, and informational support to a pregnant person
before, during, and after childbirth.
Doula friendly institutions consistently demonstrate support of the
doula's role in its full scope and integrate doulas into the birthing
team. Doula friendliness is grounded in policies and practices that
reflect an understanding of the benefits of doula care, and actively
create a space where patients, doulas, and clinicians collaborate to
ensure the best birth and experience for the patient.
Based on challenges identified during the New York State Doula Pilot
Program (2019-2023) and feedback offered by community doulas at
the(2023) New York State Department of Health's Doula Medicaid Services
Benefit Stakeholder Meetings, this Designating Doula Friendly Spaces
study and report would expand state knowledge of the ways doulas are(and
are not) welcomed and respected as participants in birthing delivery
teams in healthcare facilities across New York.
The study would also allow New York to identify cultural and linguistic
imbalances that may hinder the communication between doulas and birthing
people and other members of a birthing delivery team that can result in
the prevention of disrespectful interactions, bullying, and discrimi-
nation from care providers.
This study and proposal of recommendations for formal metrics for Doula
Friendly Spaces would allow New York to develop strategies to more
rigorously test and measure outcomes for a statewide doula friendly
designation that would be relevant in facilities across the geographic
diversity of the state. In light of New York's decision to add doula
care benefits to its Medicaid program in 2024, creating respectful and
collaborative work environments for doulas is of critical importance.
The outcome of this study and recommendation efforts will be to encour-
age and incentivise birthing delivery teams and healthcare facilities to
better integrate doula care into standard birthing practices as a way to
address and combat maternal health disparities throughout the state,
particularly in the Medicaid population.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-24: A09035A; ordered to third reading rules cal.402
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day it shall have become a
law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
3508
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 28, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. BICHOTTE HERMELYN, DAVILA, LUCAS -- read once and
referred to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to doula friendly
work spaces
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Legislative findings. The legislature acknowledges that
2 doulas face exclusionary measures in gaining recognition and overall
3 integration within the maternal health continuum, such as hospitals and
4 birthing centers. The legislature declares that the purpose of this act
5 is to study and report on the integration of doula care and services in
6 the healthcare continuum and to recommend best practices to designate
7 doula friendly spaces in New York state.
8 § 2. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 2803-j-1
9 to read as follows:
10 § 2803-j-1. Designating doula friendly spaces study. 1. The department
11 shall conduct a study to examine and evaluate current practices on the
12 integration of doula care, services, and support within birthing
13 centers, hospitals, and other healthcare delivery facilities. This study
14 shall report such findings through comprehensive metrics on doula
15 friendliness in facilities across the geographic diversity of the state
16 that are licensed under this article. Factors and metrics to be
17 reported by the study shall include but not be limited to:
18 (a) Identifying and engaging with doula led and centered organizations
19 on their current programs regarding doula integration;
20 (b) Identifying hospitals and birthing centers that are doula friendly
21 in their operation;
22 (c) Identifying successful doula integration programs and initiatives
23 in hospitals and birthing centers in New York state; and
24 (d) Identifying successful doula integration programs and initiatives
25 in other states.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07224-01-5
A. 3508 2
1 2. The study shall also make recommendations on best practices for the
2 state to help facilitate doula integration and doula friendliness in
3 hospitals and birthing centers. Such recommendations shall include, but
4 not be limited to:
5 (a) Best practices that doulas currently operating in New York state
6 recommend for proper integration;
7 (b) Criteria for hospitals and birthing centers for integration of
8 doulas and doula care into the varying processes of birth;
9 (c) Criteria for how the state should best support the formal desig-
10 nation of doula friendly places;
11 (d) Criteria for how hospitals and birthing centers shall give doulas
12 visitor status or equal status in the facilities;
13 (e) Criteria for doula presence in the birthing room;
14 (f) Criteria for inclusion of doulas in the healthcare continuum;
15 (g) Best practices and criteria for the collection of data regarding
16 doula friendliness and integration; and
17 (h) Best practices for the reporting of metrics for doula friendliness
18 and integration.
19 3. On or before December thirty-first, two thousand twenty-seven, the
20 department shall submit a final report containing all findings and
21 recommendations to the governor, the temporary president of the senate,
22 and the speaker of the assembly.
23 § 3. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
24 have become a law.
