Assembly Bill A9026

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9026
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 5, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. SOLAGES -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Health
 
 AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to the creation of  a
   community  doula  expansion  grant  program;  and  to  amend the state
   finance law, in  relation  to  the  community  doula  expansion  grant
   program fund
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Legislative findings. The legislature hereby declares  that
 poor  maternal  and  infant health outcomes, especially when it comes to
 racial disparities, are a public health crisis that pose a threat to the
 health, welfare, and quality of life of child  bearing  people,  infants
 and  their families. The legislature hereby acknowledges that community-
 based doula care is  one  solution  in  addressing  this  public  health
 crisis.  The  legislature also acknowledges imbalances in how doula care
 is accessed in different communities. The legislature also  acknowledges
 how  doulas  in  the BIPOC community are integrated, or lack integration
 into the maternal health continuum. The  legislature  acknowledges  that
 those  seeking  to  become  community-based  doulas  face a multitude of
 barriers,  including  institutional  barriers,  within  the   healthcare
 continuum. The legislature hereby finds the importance in establishing a
 dedicated  fund  to  support  community-based doulas and community-based
 doula organizations. This fund would be assisting those trying to  navi-
 gate  the Federal and State Medicaid frameworks for doula care to become
 community-based doulas. Which would be one step in solving the  existing
 barriers to those seeking equitable prenatal, intranatal, and postpartum
 care services.
   §  2.  Article  25 of the public health law is amended by adding a new
 title 3-A to read as follows:
                                TITLE III-A
                     COMMUNITY DOULA EXPANSION PROGRAM
 SECTION 2560. COMMUNITY DOULA EXPANSION GRANT PROGRAM.
         2561. DEFINITIONS.
         2562. RULES AND REGULATIONS.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD13594-01-3
 A. 9026                             2
 
         2563. REPORT.
   § 2560. COMMUNITY  DOULA  EXPANSION GRANT PROGRAM. THE COMMUNITY DOULA
 EXPANSION GRANT PROGRAM IS ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
   § 2561. DEFINITIONS. AS USED IN THIS TITLE:
   1.  "ELIGIBLE  PROVIDERS"  SHALL  MEAN  COMMUNITY-BASED  ORGANIZATIONS
 PROVIDING  FOR  THE RECRUITMENT, TRAINING, LICENSING, SUPPORTING, AND/OR
 MENTORING OF COMMUNITY-BASED DOULAS.
   2. "COMMUNITY-BASED DOULA" SHALL MEAN A CERTIFIED DOULA THAT  PROVIDES
 CULTURALLY  SENSITIVE  PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH EDUCATION, EARLY LINKAGE
 TO HEALTH CARE, AND AIDS BIRTHING PERSONS IN NAVIGATING  OTHER  SERVICES
 AND SUPPORTS THAT THEY MAY NEED TO BE HEALTHY.
   §  2562.  RULES AND REGULATIONS. 1. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ESTABLISH A
 COMMUNITY DOULA  EXPANSION  GRANT  PROGRAM  FOR  ELIGIBLE  PROVIDERS  TO
 RECEIVE  FUNDING IN THE PERFORMANCE OF RECRUITMENT, TRAINING, LICENSING,
 SUPPORTING, AND/OR MENTORING OF COMMUNITY-BASED  DOULAS.  SUCH  ELIGIBLE
 PROVIDERS  SHALL  MEET  PROFESSIONALLY  RECOGNIZED  TRAINING  STANDARDS,
 COMPLY WITH APPLICABLE STATE LAW AND REGULATIONS, AND SHALL  BE  CAPABLE
 OF PROVIDING CULTURALLY CONGRUENT CARE.
   2.  THE  COMMISSIONER  IS  AUTHORIZED, WITHIN AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED FOR
 SUCH PURPOSE, TO MAKE GRANTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS  SUBDIVISION.  SUCH
 GRANTS  MAY  BE  USED FOR BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE ADMINISTRATION, FACULTY
 RECRUITMENT AND DEVELOPMENT, START-UP COSTS AND OTHER COSTS INCURRED FOR
 PROVIDING RECRUITMENT, TRAINING, LICENSING, SUPPORTING, AND/OR MENTORING
 OF COMMUNITY-BASED DOULAS.
   3. THERE SHALL BE AN EMPHASIS  OF  APPROPRIATING  GRANTS  TO  ELIGIBLE
 PROVIDERS  THAT  SPECIFICALLY  TRAIN,  RECRUIT,  AND  EMPLOY DOULAS FROM
 HISTORICALLY VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES, BIPOC DOULAS, AND BILINGUAL DOULAS.
 THIS CAN INCLUDE GRANTS FOR DOULA APPRENTICE PROGRAMS.
   4. THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL  CREATE  AND  MAINTAIN  AN  AWARENESS  AND
 OUTREACH  PROGRAM.  THE  AWARENESS  AND OUTREACH PROGRAM SHALL BE ESTAB-
 LISHED FOR THE PURPOSE OF  PROVIDING  EDUCATION  AND  AWARENESS  OF  THE
 AVAILABLE GRANTS AND FUNDS TO ELIGIBLE PROVIDERS IN THE STATE.
   §  2563. REPORT. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ESTABLISH A COMPREHENSIVE LIST
 OF REPORTING METRICS TO BE INCLUDED IN A REPORT DUE ON DECEMBER  THIRTY-
 FIRST,  TWO  THOUSAND TWENTY-FOUR AND ANNUALLY THEREAFTER, TO THE GOVER-
 NOR, TO THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, AND TO THE SPEAKER OF THE
 ASSEMBLY. THE REPORT SHALL INCLUDE THE COMPREHENSIVE LIST  OF  REPORTING
 METRICS  AND  SHALL  INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF
 GRANTS ISSUED, THE NUMBER OF ELIGIBLE PROVIDERS, AND THE REGION  OF  THE
 STATE WHERE THE ELIGIBLE PROVIDER IS LOCATED.
   § 3. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 99-rr to
 read as follows:
   §  99-RR.  COMMUNITY  DOULA  EXPANSION GRANT PROGRAM FUND. 1. THERE IS
 HEREBY ESTABLISHED IN THE JOINT CUSTODY OF  THE  STATE  COMPTROLLER  AND
 COMMISSIONER  OF  TAXATION AND FINANCE A SPECIAL FUND TO BE KNOWN AS THE
 "COMMUNITY DOULA EXPANSION GRANT PROGRAM FUND".
   2. SUCH FUND SHALL CONSIST OF ALL MONIES APPROPRIATED THERETO FROM ANY
 OTHER FUND OR SOURCE PURSUANT TO LAW. NOTHING CONTAINED IN THIS  SECTION
 SHALL PREVENT THE STATE FROM RECEIVING GRANTS, GIFTS OR BEQUESTS FOR THE
 PURPOSES OF THE FUND AS DEFINED IN THIS SECTION AND DEPOSITING THEM INTO
 THE FUND ACCORDING TO LAW.
   3.  MONIES  SHALL BE PAYABLE FROM THE FUND ON THE AUDIT AND WARRANT OF
 THE COMPTROLLER ON VOUCHERS APPROVED AND CERTIFIED BY  THE  COMMISSIONER
 OF HEALTH.
 A. 9026                             3
 
   4.  THE  MONIES IN SUCH FUND SHALL BE EXPENDED FOR THE COMMUNITY DOULA
 EXPANSION GRANT PROGRAM IN ACCORDANCE WITH  THE  PROVISIONS  OF  SECTION
 TWENTY-FIVE HUNDRED SIXTY-TWO OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH LAW.
   §  4.  This  act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
 repeal of any rule or regulation necessary  for  the  implementation  of
 this  act  on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed
 on or before such effective date.