The New York City Council - File #: Int 0913-2018

• File #: Int 0913-2018
• Version: *
• Name: Access to doulas in NYC.
• Type: Introduction
• Status: Laid Over in Committee
• File created: 5/9/2018
• In control: Committee on Women
• On agenda: 5/9/2018
• Title: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to access to doulas in New York City
• Sponsors: Helen K. Rosenthal, Alicka Ampry-Samuel , Laurie A. Cumbo, Carlina Rivera , Margaret S. Chin, Stephen T. Levin, Mark Levine, Diana Ayala , Brad S. Lander, Andrew Cohen, Deborah L. Rose, Ben Kallos, Donovan J. Richards, Justin L. Brannan, Antonio Reynoso, Carlos Menchaca, Jumaane D. Williams, Keith Powers , Bill Perkins, Adrienne E. Adams

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
6/27/2018	*	Committee on Health	Laid Over by Committee
6/27/2018	*	Committee on Health	Hearing Held by Committee
6/27/2018	*	Committee on Women	Laid Over by Committee
6/27/2018	*	Committee on Women	Hearing Held by Committee
5/9/2018	*	City Council	Referred to Comm by Council
5/9/2018	*	City Council	Introduced by Council

Int. No. 913

By Council Members Rosenthal, Ampry-Samuel, Cumbo, Rivera, Chin, Levin, Levine, Ayala, Lander, Cohen, Rose, Kallos, Richards, Brannan, Reynoso, Menchaca, Williams, Powers, Perkins and Adams

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to access to doulas in New York City

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1. Chapter 1 of title 17 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding new section 17-199.9 to read as follows:

§ 17-199.9 Access to doulas. a. Definitions. For the purposes of this title, “doula” means a trained professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to a pregnant person and the family before, during and shortly after childbirth.

b. The department shall establish a plan to provide access to doulas for pregnant people in the city. In establishing such plan, the department shall assess the needs of pregnant people and the availability of free and low-cost doulas to meet such needs. Information assessed shall include but not be limited to:

1. The demand for doulas in the city.

2. The number of doulas in the city and any appropriate qualifications.

3. The average cost of doula services, and whether or not such services may be covered by an existing health plan or benefit.

4. Existing city programs that provide doula services.

5. Areas or populations within the city in which residents experience disproportionately low access to doulas.

6. Areas or populations within the city in which residents experience disproportionately high rates of maternal mortality.

7. The benefits associated with the use of doulas.

c. The department shall make recommendations to the council with respect to the expansion of doula programs, including free and low-cost programs, to pregnant people in the city.

d. No later than January 1, 2019, and on or before January 1 every year thereafter, the department shall prepare and submit to the council and post on its website an annual plan for providing access to doula services to pregnant people who request such services. Such plan shall also identify obstacles to making such services available to all those who need them and any additional resources necessary to do so.

§ 2. This local law takes effect immediately.

APB

LS #6547

5/4/18 12:00 pm