The information presented on these pages is for informational purposes only. Links to official documentation and information is provided where and when possible. Please consult local government authorities for current and accurate information.
The state of New York has a brief but colorful history with regards to state legislation regarding doulas. There are presently no laws in the state of New York that govern the work of doulas. However, there is legislation in the work that is seeking to regulate the work of doulas within the state for the purposes of 1) legitimizing the profession and 2) provide credibility for the industry.
Legislation efforts in New York have become high-profile since the passage of legislation through the state assembly and senate in June 2019. Pending legislation has been placed in limbo while still waiting for the Governor’s signature. Details of these dynamics are below.
History of New York State Legislation for Doulas
- Pilot program is organized to assess the value of doulas in the birthing process
- Legislation is Drafted in January 2019.
- Legislation passes state lawmakers in June 2019.
- Community backlash begins almost immediately.
- Pilot program deemed unsuccessful due to several influencing factors.
- Legislation was passed by the NY Legislature in 2021
Current Legislation
New York has consistently made efforts toward expanding access to doula care. In 2021, several bills have been proposed including:
- A05247 — Covering doula services providers under Medicaid
- Referred to committee on February 12, 2021. No further actions but still ‘active.’
- A05272 — Requiring health insurance policies to cover doula services “required for maternity care”
- Referred to committee on February 12, 2021. No further actions but still ‘active.’
- S02137 — Establishing a professional doula certification process
- Referred to committee on January 20, 2021. No longer active.
All of the above bills were referred to committees in early 2021 but not further action was taken on any. There are several other bills which have been proposed that also related to doula care and reflect the interest and efforts of the New York Legislature to enact legislation related to doula care.
How to Get Involved in the Lawmaking Process
The current legislative session (January – June 2022) wraps up June 2nd. If you would like to get involved in advocating for similar legislation reach out to your legislator or the legislator who sponsored or co-sponsored similar legislation. Information on sponsors and cosponsors is listed on the Summary page of the bill.
2019-2020 Legislation
There are two versions of the proposed law that are currently active, one for the State Assembly and the other for the State Senate. Both were passed.
Both bills were authorize the certification of doulas and establishes requirements for certifications. While it would restrict the use of the title “certified doula” to those who qualified and certified through the state, however, both bills were vetoed by the governor.
New York State Doula Pilot Program
In anticipation of future legislation for doulas receiving Medicaid -funded services, a pilot program was launched in only two counties (Eire and Kings). Below are official resources pertaining to the pilot program for doulas.
- New York State Doula Pilot Program (Overview from State Department of Health)
- Official Announcement for the Pilot Program (April 2018)
- Update on Official Announcement (November 2018)
Status of the pilot program is not know at this time, but it was suggested in a recent conversation between lawmakers and doulas that the pilot program was not working as intended.
NYC State of Doula Care – 2021
Annually since 2019 the NYC Department of Health has put together a report describing the state of doula care in the city. It provides and overview of various programs related to access in underserved communities, doula-friendly hospitals, amplifying voices, and improving data collection. It is a great resources for NYC Doulas both for information on current birth outcome statistics, programs, and doula organizations across the state.
Links to official documentation and information is provided where and when possible. Please consult local government authorities for current and accurate information.