Add §267-c, Pub Health L; add §6505-f, amd §§7710, 8412 & 7607, Ed L
Requires course work or training in menopausal health for physicians, physician assistants, nurses, mental health practitioners, psychologists and social workers.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A9170
SPONSOR: Rosenthal TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public health law and the education law, in relation
to requiring course work or training in menopausal health for certain
professions
PURPOSE:
This bill will require healthcare professionals to receive training and
education in menopausal health.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section one amends the public health law by adding a new section 267-c.
Section two amends the education law by adding a new section 6505-f.
Section three amends paragraph (b) of subdivision three of section 7710
of the education law. Section four amends paragraph (b) of subdivision
three of section 8412 of the educatiOn law. Section five amends para-
graph (c) of subdivision three of section 7607 of the education law.
Section six establishes the effective date,
JUSTIFICATION:
Approximately two million women in the United States go through meno-
pause each year, with the vast majority experiencing symptoms that nega-
tively impact their productivity and quality of life, such as hot flash-
es, anxiety, sleep problems and brain fog. Despite being a normal and
natural stage of a person's life, most medical schools and residency
programs do not teach future healthcare providers about menopause. A
2022 article in the American Journal of Managed Care revealed that 80%
of residents are "barely comfortable discussing or treating menopause"
and a 2018 survey by the American Association of Retired Persons found
that just 20% of obstetrics and gynecology residency programs cover the
topic. As a result, many women have had no meaningful conversations with
their doctors about how to treat and manage their symptoms.
With a myriad of treatment options available, we must foster an environ-
ment where all providers are comfortable having these discussions and
people experiencing menopause have the support they need. This legis-
lation will require physicians and nurses to complete course work of
training on menopausal health every four years, including the stages of
perimenopause, menopause and post menopause, the options for treatment
and pain management and associated mental health impacts.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None to the State.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9170
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
October 17, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the public health law and the education law, in relation
to requiring course work or training in menopausal health for certain
professions
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
2 267-c to read as follows:
3 § 267-c. Course work or training in menopausal health. (a) Every
4 physician, physician assistant and specialist assistant practicing in
5 the state shall, on or before July first, two thousand twenty-six and
6 every four years thereafter, complete course work or training, appropri-
7 ate to the professional's practice, approved by the department regarding
8 menopausal health, including the stages of perimenopause, menopause and
9 postmenopause, the common signs and symptoms, options for treatment and
10 management and the potential impact on the patient's mental health.
11 Such course work or training must also be completed by every medical
12 student, medical resident and physician assistant student in the state
13 as part of the orientation programs conducted by medical schools,
14 medical residency programs and physician assistant programs.
15 (b) Every physician, physician assistant, specialist assistant,
16 medical student, medical resident and physician assistant student must
17 provide to the department documentation demonstrating the completion of
18 and competence in the course work or training required under subdivision
19 (a) of this section.
20 (c) The department shall provide an exemption from the requirements
21 imposed by subdivision (a) of this section to anyone who requests such
22 an exemption and who (i) clearly demonstrates to the department's satis-
23 faction that there would be no need for such person to complete such
24 course work or training because of the nature of their practice or (ii)
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07615-03-5
A. 9170 2
1 that such person has completed course work or training deemed by the
2 department to be equivalent to the standards for course work or training
3 approved by the department pursuant to this section. An individual
4 granted an exemption must reapply to continue such exemption every four
5 years.
6 § 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 6505-f to
7 read as follows:
8 § 6505-f. Course work or training in menopausal health. Every regis-
9 tered nurse practicing in the state shall, on or before July first, two
10 thousand twenty-six and every four years thereafter, complete course
11 work or training appropriate to the professional's practice approved by
12 the department regarding menopausal health in accordance with regulatory
13 standards promulgated by the department, in consultation with the
14 department of health, which shall be consistent, as far as appropriate,
15 with such standards adopted by the department of health pursuant to
16 section two hundred sixty-seven-c of the public health law. The depart-
17 ment shall provide an exemption from this requirement to anyone who
18 requests such an exemption and who (i) clearly demonstrates to the
19 department's satisfaction that there would be no need for such person to
20 complete such course work or training because of the nature of their
21 practice or (ii) that such person has completed course work or training
22 deemed by the department to be equivalent to the course work or training
23 approved by the department pursuant to this section. The department
24 shall consult with organizations representative of professions, insti-
25 tutions and those with expertise in menopausal health with respect to
26 the regulatory standards promulgated pursuant to this section.
27 § 3. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 3 of section 7710 of the education
28 law, as added by chapter 443 of the laws of 2013, is amended to read as
29 follows:
30 (b) For purposes of this section "acceptable formal education" shall
31 mean formal courses of learning which contribute to professional prac-
32 tice in social work and which meet the standards prescribed by regu-
33 lations of the commissioner. Such formal courses of learning shall
34 include, but not be limited to, collegiate level credit and non-credit
35 courses, professional development programs and technical sessions
36 offered by national, state and local professional associations and other
37 organizations acceptable to the department, and any other organized
38 educational and technical programs acceptable to the department.
39 Continuing education courses must be taken from a provider who has been
40 approved by the department, based upon an application and fee, pursuant
41 to the regulations of the commissioner. The department may, in its
42 discretion and as needed to contribute to the health and welfare of the
43 public, require the completion of continuing education courses in
44 specific subjects to fulfill this mandatory continuing education
45 requirement, including but not limited to menopausal health. Licensed
46 master social workers or licensed clinical social workers shall maintain
47 adequate documentation of completion of acceptable formal continuing
48 education and shall provide such documentation at the request of the
49 department. Failure to provide such documentation upon the request of
50 the department shall be an act of misconduct subject to disciplinary
51 proceedings pursuant to section sixty-five hundred ten of this title.
52 § 4. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 3 of section 8412 of the education
53 law, as added by chapter 486 of the laws of 2013, is amended to read as
54 follows:
55 (b) For purposes of this section "acceptable formal education" shall
56 mean formal courses of learning which contribute to professional prac-
A. 9170 3
1 tice in mental health counseling, marriage and family therapy, psycho-
2 analysis, or creative arts therapies and which meet the standards
3 prescribed by regulations of the commissioner. Such formal courses of
4 learning shall include, but not be limited to, collegiate level credit
5 and non-credit courses, professional development programs and technical
6 sessions offered by national, state and local professional associations
7 and other organizations acceptable to the department, and any other
8 organized educational and technical programs acceptable to the depart-
9 ment. Continuing education courses must be taken from a provider who has
10 been approved by the department, based upon an application and fee,
11 pursuant to the regulations of the commissioner. The department may, in
12 its discretion and as needed to contribute to the health and welfare of
13 the public, require the completion of continuing education courses in
14 specific subjects to fulfill this mandatory continuing education
15 requirement, including but not limited to menopausal health. Licensed
16 mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, psychoana-
17 lysts, and creative arts therapists shall maintain adequate documenta-
18 tion of completion of acceptable formal continuing education and shall
19 provide such documentation at the request of the department. Failure to
20 provide such documentation upon the request of the department shall be
21 an act of misconduct subject to disciplinary proceedings pursuant to
22 section sixty-five hundred ten of this title.
23 § 5. Paragraph (c) of subdivision 3 of section 7607 of the education
24 law, as added by chapter 436 of the laws of 2018, is amended to read as
25 follows:
26 (c) The department may, in its discretion and as needed to contribute
27 to the health and welfare of the public, require the completion of
28 continuing education credits in specific subjects to fulfill this manda-
29 tory continuing education requirement, including but not limited to
30 menopausal health.
31 § 6. This act shall take effect immediately.
