N.Y.
Public Health Law Section 2509-D
Veterans reproductive mental health care
1.
As used in this section:(a)
“Maternal health care provider” means a physician, midwife, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or other health care practitioner acting within their lawful scope of practice, attending a pregnant veteran or a veteran up to one year after childbirth, including a practitioner attending the veteran’s child up to one year after childbirth.(b)
“Women veterans coordinator” shall mean the women veterans coordinator appointed pursuant to section nineteen of the veterans’ services law.(c)
“Veteran” shall have the same meaning as such term is defined in section one of the veterans’ services law and shall also include a veteran who has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the veterans’ services law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the veterans’ services law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service.2.
(a) The commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of mental health and the women veterans coordinator, shall make available to maternal health care providers information on veterans reproductive mental health care. The information shall include, but not be limited to:(i)
the importance of identifying whether a patient has served in the military in providing adequate maternal health care to veterans;(ii)
ensuring that all pregnant veteran patients are appropriately screened for depression, intimate partner/domestic violence, military sexual trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, substance abuse, and postpartum depression;(iii)
a summary of the current evidence-based and professional guidelines for the screening of conditions listed in subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph;(iv)
validated, evidence-based tools for screening the conditions listed in subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph;(vi)
information about follow-up support for patients who may require further evaluation, referral, or treatment including, when available, information about specific community resources and entities licensed by the office of mental health; and(vii)
information on engaging support for the veteran, which may include communicating with the other parent of the child and other family members, as appropriate and consistent with patient confidentiality.(b)
The information on veterans reproductive mental health care shall be posted on the department’s website. The commissioner shall, in collaboration with the commissioner of mental health and the women veterans coordinator, update and review the information on veterans reproductive mental health, as necessary.3.
The commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of mental health and the women veterans coordinator, shall:(a)
inform providers of the need to raise awareness about veterans reproductive mental health issues; and(b)
provide information on the department and the office of mental health’s websites regarding how to locate available providers who treat or provide support for veterans reproductive mental health issues including maternal depression including but not limited to, mental health professionals, other licensed professionals, peer support, not-for-profit corporations and other community resources.4.
The commissioner, in consultation with the women veterans coordinator, shall make any regulations necessary to implement this section. * NB Effective March 21, 2025
Source:
Section 2509-D — Veterans reproductive mental health care, https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/PBH/2509-D (updated Dec. 27, 2024; accessed Jan. 18, 2025).
