NY State Senate Bill 2025-S8622

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Date of Action	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Dec 17, 2025	referred to rules

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2025-S8622 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A3508
Current Committee:: Senate Rules
Law Section:: Public Health Law
Laws Affected:: Add §2803-j-1, Pub Health L
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:: S7780, A9035

2025-S8622 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes a study regarding doula friendly work spaces; requires a report.

2025-S8622 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S8622

SPONSOR: BROUK
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to doula friendly
work spaces

 
PURPOSE:

To increase the amount of information we have regarding the respectful
integration of doula services in birthing delivery teams and healthcare
practices and facilities and to recommend metrics for more formally
Designating Doula Friendly Spaces

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1. Legislative Findings.

Section 2. Mandates the department of health to prepare a comprehensive
study and report on the integration of doula services in birthing deliv-
ery teams and healthcare delivery facilities and recommend metrics to

formally designate doula friendly spaces.

Section 3. Establishes the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Maternal mortality has a devastating impact on the State of New York.
Providing improved access to community doula care and support services
is a proven way to address maternal morbidity and maternal mental
health, and to reduce birth complications for the mother and baby,
particularly in vulnerable patient populations like the Medicaid popu-
lation. A doula is a trained, non-clinical professional who provides
physical, emotional, and informational support to a pregnant person
before, during, and after childbirth.

Doula friendly institutions consistently demonstrate support of the
doula's role in its full scope and integrate doulas into the birthing
team. Doula friendliness is grounded in policies and practices that
reflect an understanding of the benefits of doula care, and actively
create a space where patients, doulas, and clinicians collaborate to
ensure the best birth and experience for the patient.

Based on challenges identified during the New York State Doula Pilot
Program (2019-2023) and feedback offered by community doulas at
the(2023) New York State Department of Health's Doula Medicaid Services
Benefit Stakeholder Meetings, this Designating Doula Friendly Spaces
study and report would expand state knowledge of the ways doulas are(and
are not) welcomed and respected as participants in birthing delivery
teams in healthcare facilities across New York.

The study would also allow New York to identify cultural and linguistic
imbalances that may hinder the communication between doulas and birthing
people and other members of a birthing delivery team that can result in
the prevention of disrespectful interactions, bullying, and discrimi-
nation from care providers.  This study and proposal of recommendations
for formal metrics for Doula Friendly Spaces would allow New York to
develop strategies to more rigorously test and measure outcomes for a
statewide doula friendly designation that would be relevant in facili-
ties across the geographic diversity of the state. In light of New
York's decision to add doula care benefits to its Medicaid program in
2024, creating respectful and collaborative work environments for doulas
is of critical importance.

The outcome of this study and recommendation efforts will be to encour-
age and incentivise birthing delivery teams and healthcare facilities to
better integrate doula care into standard birthing practices as a way to
address and combat maternal health disparities throughout the state,
particularly in the Medicaid population.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2023-24: S7780A Passed Senate

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day it shall have become a
law.

2025-S8622 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8622
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             December 17, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sens. BROUK, FERNANDEZ, HELMING, HINCHEY, JACKSON, WEBB --
   read  twice  and  ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to
   the Committee on Rules
 
 AN ACT to amend the public health law, in  relation  to  doula  friendly
   work spaces
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Legislative findings.  The  legislature  acknowledges  that
 doulas  face  exclusionary  measures  in gaining recognition and overall
 integration within the maternal health continuum, such as hospitals  and
 birthing  centers. The legislature declares that the purpose of this act
 is to study and report on the integration of doula care and services  in
 the  healthcare  continuum  and to recommend best practices to designate
 doula friendly spaces in New York state.
   § 2. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 2803-j-1
 to read as follows:
   § 2803-J-1. DESIGNATING DOULA FRIENDLY SPACES STUDY. 1. THE DEPARTMENT
 SHALL CONDUCT A STUDY TO EXAMINE AND EVALUATE CURRENT PRACTICES  ON  THE
 INTEGRATION  OF  DOULA  CARE,  SERVICES,  AND  SUPPORT  WITHIN  BIRTHING
 CENTERS, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER HEALTHCARE DELIVERY FACILITIES. THIS STUDY
 SHALL REPORT  SUCH  FINDINGS  THROUGH  COMPREHENSIVE  METRICS  ON  DOULA
 FRIENDLINESS  IN FACILITIES ACROSS THE GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY OF THE STATE
 THAT ARE LICENSED UNDER  THIS  ARTICLE.    FACTORS  AND  METRICS  TO  BE
 REPORTED BY THE STUDY SHALL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   (A) IDENTIFYING AND ENGAGING WITH DOULA LED AND CENTERED ORGANIZATIONS
 ON THEIR CURRENT PROGRAMS REGARDING DOULA INTEGRATION;
   (B) IDENTIFYING HOSPITALS AND BIRTHING CENTERS THAT ARE DOULA FRIENDLY
 IN THEIR OPERATION;
   (C)  IDENTIFYING SUCCESSFUL DOULA INTEGRATION PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES
 IN HOSPITALS AND BIRTHING CENTERS IN NEW YORK STATE; AND

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD07224-01-5
 S. 8622                             2

 
   (D) IDENTIFYING SUCCESSFUL DOULA INTEGRATION PROGRAMS AND  INITIATIVES
 IN OTHER STATES.
   2. THE STUDY SHALL ALSO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON BEST PRACTICES FOR THE
 STATE  TO  HELP  FACILITATE  DOULA INTEGRATION AND DOULA FRIENDLINESS IN
 HOSPITALS AND BIRTHING CENTERS. SUCH RECOMMENDATIONS SHALL INCLUDE,  BUT
 NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   (A)  BEST  PRACTICES THAT DOULAS CURRENTLY OPERATING IN NEW YORK STATE
 RECOMMEND FOR PROPER INTEGRATION;
   (B) CRITERIA FOR HOSPITALS AND BIRTHING  CENTERS  FOR  INTEGRATION  OF
 DOULAS AND DOULA CARE INTO THE VARYING PROCESSES OF BIRTH;
   (C)  CRITERIA  FOR HOW THE STATE SHOULD BEST SUPPORT THE FORMAL DESIG-
 NATION OF DOULA FRIENDLY PLACES;
   (D) CRITERIA FOR HOW HOSPITALS AND BIRTHING CENTERS SHALL GIVE  DOULAS
 VISITOR STATUS OR EQUAL STATUS IN THE FACILITIES;
   (E) CRITERIA FOR DOULA PRESENCE IN THE BIRTHING ROOM;
   (F) CRITERIA FOR INCLUSION OF DOULAS IN THE HEALTHCARE CONTINUUM;
   (G)  BEST  PRACTICES AND CRITERIA FOR THE COLLECTION OF DATA REGARDING
 DOULA FRIENDLINESS AND INTEGRATION; AND
   (H) BEST PRACTICES FOR THE REPORTING OF METRICS FOR DOULA FRIENDLINESS
 AND INTEGRATION.
   3. ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER THIRTY-FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SEVEN,  THE
 DEPARTMENT  SHALL  SUBMIT  A  FINAL  REPORT  CONTAINING ALL FINDINGS AND
 RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE GOVERNOR, THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE  SENATE,
 AND THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY.
   §  3.  This  act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
 have become a law.

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Senate Bill S8622

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules Committee

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co-Sponsors

2025-S8622 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S8622 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S8622 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S8622 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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Sponsored By

Samra G. Brouk

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules Committee

Actions

co-Sponsors

Nathalia Fernandez

Pamela Helming

Michelle Hinchey

Robert Jackson

2025-S8622 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S8622 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S8622 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S8622 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments