N.Y. Public Health Law § 2500-m: Access to doulas

§ 2500-m. Access to doulas. (a) When a person is admitted to a

maternal health care facility for delivery and/or inpatient care

post-delivery, such person may designate a doula to have access to such

person. The maternal health care facility shall not deny such person

access to such person's designated doula. For the purposes of this

section, the term "maternal health care facility" shall mean a hospital

or freestanding birthing center providing perinatal services in

accordance with article twenty-eight of this chapter and applicable

regulations.

(b) Nothing in this section shall require a maternal health care

facility to grant a doula access to a person or area of the facility

during emergencies or when such access could compromise the safety of

the patient or health care team.

(c) The department shall require all maternal health care facilities

to include and/or post on the maternal health care facility's webpage,

lobby, and patient waiting areas information stating a birthing parent

is allowed to have a doula present in the maternal health care facility

for delivery and/or inpatient care post-delivery. Such information shall

be written in layperson's language and shall be made available in

English and the six most common non-English languages spoken by

individuals with limited English proficiency in New York state as based

on the most recent census. The department shall produce and provide

maternal health care facilities with informational pamphlets stating a

birthing parent shall be allowed to have a doula present in the maternal

health care facility for delivery and/or inpatient care post-delivery.

The informational pamphlet shall be: available in each patient waiting

area as a printed deliverable; written in layperson's language; and made

available in English and the six most common non-English languages

spoken by individuals with limited English proficiency in New York state

as based on the most recent census.