N.Y. Public Health Law § 2599-bb-1: Reproductive freedom and equity grant program

§ 2599-bb-1. Reproductive freedom and equity grant program. 1. As used

in this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(a) "Abortion" shall mean the termination of pregnancy pursuant to

section twenty-five hundred ninety-nine-bb of this article.

(b) "Health care services" shall mean the range of care related to the

provision of abortion.

(c) "Program" shall mean the reproductive freedom and equity grant

program established pursuant to subdivision two of this section.

2. There is hereby established in the department a reproductive

freedom and equity grant program to ensure access to abortion care in

the state. The program shall provide funding to abortion providers and

non-profit organizations that provide or facilitate access to abortion

care. The program shall be designed to provide support to abortion

providers and non-profit organizations to increase access to care, fund

uncompensated care, and to address the support needs of individuals

accessing abortion care. Funding used to support the program shall be

subject to appropriation.

3. The commissioner shall distribute funds made available for

expenditure under this section. In determining funding for applicants

under the grant program, the commissioner shall consider the following

criteria and goals:

(a) Increase access to care by growing the capacity of abortion

providers to meet present and future care needs. Funds may be awarded to

support the recruitment, hiring, and retention of clinical and medical

staff, costs of increasing the number of hours, days, and/or alternate

times for currently employed clinical staff to provide increased access,

care management and navigation, staff training, outreach and marketing

costs, and other operational needs that increase access to abortion

care.

(b) Fund uncompensated health care services associated with abortion

care, to ensure the affordability of and access to care for individuals

who lack ability to pay for care, for individuals who lack insurance

coverage, are underinsured, or whose insurance is deemed unusable by the

rendering provider.

4. In establishing and operating the program, the commissioner may

consult a range of experts including but not limited to individuals and

entities providing abortion care, abortion funds and other organizations

whose mission is to expand access to abortion care, to ensure the

program structure and expenditures reflect the needs of abortion

providers, abortion funds and consumers. The commissioner may make

regulations necessary for implementing the program.

5. The department and any non-profit organization or abortion provider

receiving funds from the program shall take all necessary steps to

ensure the confidentiality of the individuals receiving services

pursuant to state and federal laws. The commissioner may request

aggregate, de-identified information about how funding allocated

pursuant to the program is spent, provided that no information which,

alone or in combination, would permit a patient, provider, or an

individual who sought, received, provided, or supported health care

services under the program to be identified may be requested or shared.