S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  8203--A
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              August 25, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. GUNTHER -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Health -- recommitted to the Committee on Health in  accordance
   with  Assembly  Rule  3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill amended,
   ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
 
 AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to  establishing  the
   maternal-infant  care  centers  pilot  program;  and providing for the
   repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The  public health law is amended by adding a new section
 2509-d to read as follows:
   § 2509-D. MATERNAL-INFANT CARE CENTERS PILOT PROGRAM.  THERE SHALL  BE
 ESTABLISHED  A  MATERNAL-INFANT  CARE  CENTERS PILOT PROGRAM WHEREBY THE
 COMMISSIONER,  IN  CONSULTATION  WITH  THE  COMMISSIONER  OF   ADDICTION
 SERVICES  AND  SUPPORTS, SHALL CERTIFY OR DESIGNATE AT LEAST FOUR MATER-
 NAL-INFANT CARE CENTERS IN AREAS OF NEED  IN  THE  STATE.  SUCH  CENTERS
 SHALL PROVIDE COST EFFECTIVE, NECESSARY SERVICES AND ENHANCE THE QUALITY
 OF  CARE FOR TARGETED POPULATIONS IN ORDER TO DEMONSTRATE THE EFFECTIVE-
 NESS OF SUCH PROGRAM. ELIGIBLE INFANTS SHALL BE UNDER ONE  YEAR  OF  AGE
 AND  BE  EXPERIENCING  WITHDRAWAL  RESULTING  FROM  IN UTERO EXPOSURE TO
 DRUGS. SUCH INFANT WITHDRAWAL MAY BE THE RESULT OF CONDITIONS INCLUDING,
 BUT NOT LIMITED TO, NEONATAL  ABSTINENCE  SYNDROME  OR  NEONATAL  OPIOID
 WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME. THE PROGRAM SHALL PROVIDE MORE APPROPRIATE SETTINGS
 AND  COST  EFFECTIVE  CARE  FOR THESE INFANTS THAN HOSPITALS, WHILE ALSO
 PROVIDING SUPPORTS AND SERVICES TO  PARENTS  PREPARING  TO  BRING  THEIR
 INFANTS  HOME. ACCESS TO SUCH SUPPORTS SHALL CONTINUE FOR A PERIOD AFTER
 THE INFANT HAS LEFT A CENTER.   THE PROGRAM  SHALL  IMPLEMENT  EVIDENCE-
 BASED  PRACTICES  SHOWN  TO  REDUCE  THE LENGTH OF STAY WHEN COMPARED TO
 STANDARD NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT CARE AND SUPPORT  FAMILY  UNIFICA-
 TION  WHEN  THE  PRACTICES  ARE  CLINICALLY  APPROPRIATE  FOR THE FAMILY
 RECEIVING SERVICES. THE EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES SHALL INCLUDE, BUT  NOT
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD06826-05-2
              

 A. 8203--A                          2
 
 BE  LIMITED  TO, ROOMING-IN, ENCOURAGING BREASTFEEDING, PROVIDING  TRAU-
 MA-INFORMED CARE TO THE PARENT-INFANT DYAD, AND  EVALUATING  THE  SOCIAL
 DETERMINANTS  OF  HEALTH.  NEITHER  A  DIAGNOSIS  OF NEONATAL ABSTINENCE
 SYNDROME  OR  NEONATAL  OPIOID  WITHDRAWAL  SYNDROME, NOR ADMISSION TO A
 MATERNAL-INFANT CARE CENTER, SHALL CONSTITUTE EVIDENCE OF CHILD ABUSE OR
 MALTREATMENT, OR, BY ITSELF, JUSTIFY  A  REPORT  TO  THE  STATE  CENTRAL
 REGISTER OF CHILD ABUSE AND MALTREATMENT.
   THE DEPARTMENT SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MONITORING THE QUALITY, APPRO-
 PRIATENESS  AND  EFFECTIVENESS  OF  THE  CENTERS AND SHALL REPORT TO THE
 LEGISLATURE WITHIN ONE YEAR OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE  MATERNAL-INFANT
 CARE  CENTERS  AND  AGAIN WITHIN TWO YEARS OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS
 SECTION ON THE PROGRAM'S EFFECTIVENESS.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately, and shall expire  and  be
 deemed repealed 4 years after such date.