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
________________________________________________________________________
2137
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 20, 2021
___________
Introduced by Sen. RAMOS -- 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 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-c to read as follows:
3 § 2509-c. 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. Certificate. The commissioner shall issue a certificate as a certi-
12 fied doula to an individual who applies for certification and who quali-
13 fies under subdivision four of this section.
14 4. Requirements for a professional certification. To be certified
15 under this section, an applicant shall fulfill the following require-
16 ments:
17 (a) Application: file an application with the department.
18 (b) Education: satisfactorily:
19 (i) complete an educational program, in accordance with the commis-
20 sioner's regulations; or
21 (ii) submit evidence of certification, the educational preparation for
22 which is determined by the department to be equivalent to the foregoing,
23 from any state or country, satisfactory to the department and in accord-
24 ance with the commissioner's regulations.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06668-01-1
S. 2137 2
1 (c) Examination: pass an examination satisfactory to the department
2 and in accordance with the commissioner's regulations.
3 (d) Age: be at least eighteen years of age.
4 (e) Character: be of good moral character as determined by the depart-
5 ment.
6 (f) Fee: pay a fee of forty dollars to the department for consider-
7 ation of an application for certification.
8 5. Scope of practice. Nothing in this section authorizes a certified
9 doula to engage in any act within the scope of practice of any other
10 profession under title eight of the education law or any other law,
11 unless the certified doula would be otherwise authorized to do so by
12 law.
13 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
14 have become a law. Effective immediately, the commissioner of health
15 shall make regulations and take other actions reasonably necessary to
16 implement this act on such date.
