S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
7460
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
April 17, 2025
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Introduced by Sens. RIVERA, ASHBY, BROUK, HINCHEY, MAY, PARKER, WEBB --
read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to
the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, the social services law and the
family court act, 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-e to read as follows:
§ 2509-E. 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 DUE TO
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER. 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 PREPAR-
ING 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 CLINICALLY APPROPRIATE PRACTICES SHOWN TO
REDUCE THE LENGTH OF STAY WHEN COMPARED TO STANDARD NEONATAL INTENSIVE
CARE UNIT CARE, AND SUPPORT FAMILY UNIFICATION WHEN APPROPRIATE FOR THE
FAMILY RECEIVING SERVICES. THE EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES SHALL INCLUDE,
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11687-01-5
S. 7460 2
BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, ROOMING-IN, ENCOURAGING BREASTFEEDING, PROVIDING
TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE TO THE PARENT-INFANT DYAD, AND EVALUATING THE
SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH. NEITHER A DIAGNOSIS OF NEONATAL ABSTI-
NENCE SYNDROME OR NEONATAL OPIOID WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME, NOR ADMISSION TO
A MATERNAL-INFANT CARE CENTER, SHALL BY ITSELF 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. Section 420 of the social services law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 3 to read as follows:
3. NO PENALTIES FOR FAILURE TO REPORT, EITHER CRIMINAL OR CIVIL,
SHALL APPLY TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE MANDATED REPORTERS PURSUANT TO
SECTION FOUR HUNDRED THIRTEEN OF THIS TITLE AND WHO DO NOT REPORT
SUSPECTED ABUSE OR MALTREATMENT BASED ONLY UPON A DIAGNOSIS OF NEONATAL
ABSTINENCE SYNDROME OR NEONATAL OPIOID WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME, OR ADMISSION
TO A MATERNAL-INFANT CARE CENTER ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION TWEN-
TY-FIVE HUNDRED NINE-E OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH LAW, IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY
OTHER GROUNDS TO SUSPECT ABUSE OR MALTREATMENT.
§ 3. Subparagraph (B) of paragraph (i) of subdivision (f) of section
1012 of the family court act, as amended by chapter 984 of the laws of
1981, is amended to read as follows:
(B) in providing the child with proper supervision or guardianship, by
unreasonably inflicting or allowing to be inflicted harm, or a substan-
tial risk thereof, including the infliction of excessive corporal
punishment; or by misusing a drug or drugs; or by misusing alcoholic
beverages to the extent that [he] SUCH PARENT OR OTHER PERSON LEGALLY
RESPONSIBLE loses self-control of [his] THEIR actions; or by any other
acts of a similarly serious nature requiring the aid of the court;
provided, however, that where the respondent is voluntarily and regular-
ly participating in a rehabilitative program, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED
TO A PROGRAM OFFERED AT A MATERNAL-INFANT CARE CENTER ESTABLISHED PURSU-
ANT TO SECTION TWENTY-FIVE HUNDRED NINE-E OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH LAW,
evidence that the respondent has repeatedly misused a drug or drugs or
alcoholic beverages to the extent that [he] SUCH PARENT OR OTHER PERSON
LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE loses self-control of [his] THEIR actions shall not
establish that the child is a neglected child in the absence of evidence
establishing that the child's physical, mental or emotional condition
has been impaired or is in imminent danger of becoming impaired as set
forth in paragraph (i) of this subdivision; or
§ 4. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
it shall have become a law, and shall expire and be deemed repealed 4
years after such date. 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.