N.Y.
Veterans' Services Law Section 29-B*2
Veteran maternity care
1.
Serving as a liaison between the United States department of veterans affairs (VA) including VA maternity care coordinators located in the state, the department of health and the office of mental health to facilitate better coordination of veteran maternity care in the state and cooperation in addressing issues related to veteran reproductive mental health care;2.
Providing information to maternity care providers and expectant veterans regarding identifying and treating common mental and physical conditions experienced by veterans that can heighten the risk of pregnancy complications;3.
Providing guidance and referral information on maternity care and benefits available to veterans including the VA’s maternity care coordination program at all events including but not limited to, seminars required under subdivision six of § 4 (General functions, powers and duties of department)section four of this article;4.
Developing a system for rapid consultation and referral linkage services for obstetricians and primary care providers statewide who provide care for expectant veterans with service-connected disabilities that may impact a veteran’s maternal health;5.
Providing guidance on the identification of signs and symptoms of mental health conditions in expectant veterans to maternity care providers;6.
Raising awareness among maternity care providers of the federal Veterans Community Care Program established pursuant to 38 U.S.C § 1703 and considering ways to encourage and incentivize participation in such program. The coordinator shall make information relevant to such providers available on the department’s website, including but not limited to, links to the any continuing medical education material or courses for non-department medical professionals provided on the internet website of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs pursuant to section 123 of the VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks Act of 2018 (P.L.115-182);7.
Convening as necessary, in conjunction with the commissioners of health and mental health, a workgroup of stakeholders, including but not limited to, hospitals, federal, state, and local health officials, obstetricians, midwives, pediatricians, veterans and veterans advocates to study and evaluate:(a)
ways to improve the capacity of maternity health care providers to deliver high-quality, timely and veteran-centered care;(b)
barriers and challenges in identifying and treating expectant veterans with reproductive health conditions and other service-connected disabilities that may increase the risk of pregnancy and postpartum complications; and(c)
gaps in the services and care provided to pregnant veterans by the federal government and the desirability, feasibility and efficacy of support by the state for such services including but not limited to, home deliveries, services by doulas, and deliveries by direct-entry midwives;8.
Establishing standard protocols and training for health care providers treating pregnant veterans and defining responsibilities for how local suicide prevention coordinators, maternity care coordinators and women’s health clinical leaders should work together to support pregnant veterans with elevated risk factors for suicide; and9.
Collaborating with the maternal mortality review board established pursuant to Public Health Law § 2509 (Maternal mortality review board)section twenty-five hundred nine of the public health law to identify trends in the demographics and causes of maternal mortality among veterans. The findings of such collaboration shall be reported to the governor and the legislature at least annually. * NB There are 3 § 29-b’a * NB Effective March 21, 2025
Source:
Section 29-B*2 — Veteran maternity care, https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/VET/29-B*2 (updated Dec. 27, 2024; accessed Jan. 4, 2025).
