Requires the commissioner of health to consult with the office of addiction services and supports to publish certain guidance on maternal depression screenings, the official text

S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1025
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              January 8, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. SOLAGES -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Health
 
 AN ACT to amend the public health law,  in  relation  to  requiring  the
   commissioner  of  health  to  consult  with  the  office  of addiction
   services  and  supports  to  publish  certain  guidance  on   maternal
   depression  screenings,  and  to  amend  a chapter of the laws of 2024
   amending the public health law relating to maternal depression screen-
   ings, as proposed in  legislative  bills  numbers  S.  2039-B  and  A.
   2870-B, in relation to the effectiveness thereof
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 2500-k of the public  health  law,
 as added by a chapter of the laws of 2024 amending the public health law
 relating  to  maternal depression screenings, as proposed in legislative
 bills numbers S. 2039-B and A. 2870-B, is amended to read as follows:
   3. Maternal depression screenings. (a) The commissioner, in  consulta-
 tion  with the office of mental health, THE OFFICE OF ADDICTION SERVICES
 AND SUPPORTS, and other  relevant  stakeholders  AS  DETERMINED  BY  THE
 COMMISSIONER,  shall  [develop and] publish guidance [and standards] for
 incorporating maternal  depression  screenings  into  routine  perinatal
 care.  This  guidance  shall include, but not be limited to, recommenda-
 tions and best practices related to:
   (i) when maternal  health  care  providers  should  initiate  maternal
 depression  screenings  and how often such screenings should be repeated
 throughout pregnancy and the postpartum period;
   (ii) screening for  social  needs  that  may  contribute  to  maternal
 depression  such  as social support, intimate partner violence, food and
 housing insecurity,  diaper  insecurity,  and  barriers  to  appropriate
 healthcare;
   (iii) screening for substance use disorders;

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD02804-01-5
 A. 1025                             2
 
   (iv)  referrals  for  appropriate follow-up evaluation, diagnosis, and
 treatment; and
   (v) reimbursement methodologies to incentivize provider participation.
   (b)  The  commissioner,  in  consultation  with  the  office of mental
 health, THE OFFICE OF ADDICTION SERVICES AND SUPPORTS, and  other  rele-
 vant  stakeholders  AS  DETERMINED  BY  THE COMMISSIONER, shall identify
 existing information and training programs designed to [support]  INFORM
 PROVIDERS  IN  AN  EFFORT  TO  PROMOTE maternal depression screening and
 treatment, and publish  the  links  to  such  information  and  training
 programs  on  the  department's  website. The identified information and
 training programs shall include the following topics:
   (i) health equity;
   (ii) implicit bias and cultural competency;
   (iii) screening, referral and treatment options;
   (iv) patient resources and available services;
   (v) patients' rights;
   (vi) pharmacotherapy;
   (vii) trauma-informed, patient-centered care; and
   (viii) other topics as identified by the commissioner.
   § 2. Section 3 of a chapter of the laws of 2024  amending  the  public
 health  law  relating  to maternal depression screenings, as proposed in
 legislative bills numbers S. 2039-B and A. 2870-B, is amended to read as
 follows:
   § 3. This act shall take effect [on the  one  hundred  eightieth  day]
 EIGHTEEN MONTHS after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately,
 the  addition,  amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation neces-
 sary for the implementation of  this  act  on  its  effective  date  are
 authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
   §  3.  This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that
 section one of this act shall take effect on the same date  and  in  the
 same  manner as a chapter of the laws of 2024 amending the public health
 law relating to maternal depression screenings, as proposed in  legisla-
 tive bills numbers S. 2039-B and A. 2870-B, takes effect.