Tuesday, October 27, 2026, 10 a.m. (New York City time), 250 Broadway - 8th Floor - Hearing Room 2
Committee: Committee on Women and Gender Equity
The Committees on Women and Gender Equity and Criminal Justice held a joint oversight hearing on maternal health and criminal justice, examining how Correctional Health Services and the Department of Correction serve pregnant and postpartum people in custody, including intake screenings, prenatal care, doula services, the nursery at Rose M. Singer Center, restraints, and mental health care. The committees considered Intro 902 (mental health protocols for pregnant/postpartum individuals in DOC custody), Resolutions 464, 497 and 498, and Intro 1144 (a report on gender-based violence). No votes were taken. Council members pressed DOC and CHS on non-production rates for OB appointments, the slow nursery application process, plans for housing women in borough-based jails, and restraint reporting; the Board of Correction recommended a dedicated dormitory for pregnant people and an expedited nursery application. Advocates and organization representatives largely supported the legislation and urged closing Rikers Island.
0:00 To begin good morning good
0:00 morning and welcome to the New
0:10 York City Council hearing
0:12 joint hearing for the
0:14 committee on women and gender
0:15 equity and the committee on
0:17 criminal justice at this time
0:18 I'm going to ask that everyone
0:20 in the room silence all cell
0:22 phones and electronic devices
0:25 if you ah wish to testify you
0:26 need to fill out an appearance
0:28 card if you haven't done so
0:29 but want to testify see the
0:31 sergeant at arms at the desk
0:33 right outside and we'll get
0:34 you signed up most importantly
0:37 at this time no 01:00 is
0:38 allowed to approach the dais
0:40 cheer you begin
0:42 . Good morning everyone I'm
0:46 councilmember Amanda Farías
0:47 chair of the the committee on
0:48 women and gender equity I'm
0:49 excited to be joined by chair
0:50 of the committee on criminal
0:52 justice Council Member silvino
0:53 Brooks Powers for today's
0:55 hearing on maternal health and
0:58 criminal justice first I'd
0:58 like to acknowledge my
0:59 colleagues who are present
1:01 including council members
1:02 moreno and kaban thank you
1:03 both for being here today the
1:05 intersection of maternal
1:06 health and the criminal
1:07 justice system represents a
1:09 critical public health and
1:10 human rights crisis in the
1:12 united states where women are
1:14 the fastest growing segment of
1:15 the incarcerated population
1:17 national data shows that among
1:20 incarcerated women
1:20 . Three out of four are of
1:23 childbearing age incarcerated
1:25 pregnant individuals face
1:26 severe systemic barriers
1:28 including inconsistent
1:29 prenatal care high rates of
1:31 untreated substance use and
1:32 mental health conditions and
1:33 the use of shackling during
1:35 labor and delivery whether an
1:38 incarcerated pregnant person
1:39 decides to carry their
1:40 pregnancy to term or have an
1:42 abortion they have a
1:44 constitutionally protected
1:45 right to obtain appropriate
1:47 medical care it's important t
1:48 onote that mass incarceration
1:50 and the maternal mortality
1:52 crisis disproportionately
1:53 impact black and low income
1:55 women communities of color are
1:58 disproportionately represented
1:58 in New York City jail
2:00 admissions making up almost
2:02 90% of admissions despite only
2:04 compromising 52% of the city's
2:08 general population when
2:09 compounded with the fact that
2:10 black women overall are three
2:11 times more likely than white
2:13 women to die because they were
2:16 pregnant and three times more
2:17 likely to suffer severe
2:19 complications like fibroids
2:21 the added risks for black
2:23 pregnant people of being
2:25 incarcerated during pregnancy
2:27 are high.
2:27 In New York City 5
2:29 2incarcerated people were
2:30 reported last year as pregnant
2:33 by correctional health
2:34 services in the 20 25 repor
2:35 tproduced by the arnold
2:37 institute for global health
2:39 New York city's partnership
2:41 interviews with individuals
2:42 who gave birth while
2:43 incarcerated in New York City
2:45 revealed gaps in both the
2:46 medical and correctional
2:48 systems the systems often lack
2:50 mattresses sufficient for
2:51 pregnancy support nutritious
2:53 foods outdoor time and fresh
2:55 air safety from hazards such
2:56 as mace and mold and supplies
2:58 and support for lactation
3:01 . Participants also shared
3:02 that they had limited access
3:04 to the type of information
3:06 about pregnancy and childbirth
3:08 that would be available in the
3:08 community such as pamphlets
3:10 books classes and groups so
3:12 today we'll ask what
3:14 correctional health services
3:14 and the department of
3:16 correction are doing t
3:17 oaddress these gaps and how are
3:19 they delivering maternal
3:20 health services to pregnant
3:23 individuals while incarcerated r
3:26 Brooks Powers to deliver her
3:32 opening statement good morning a
3:36 brook's Powers chair of the
3:38 committee on criminal justice
3:40 I want a joint perea's and
3:42 welcome in everyone to today's
3:44 hearing on maternal health and
3:46 criminal justice
3:47 . Pregnancy childbirth and
3:51 postpartum period require
3:52 consistent medical care
3:55 appropriate nutrition access
3:56 to reproductive health care
3:57 and support for both physical
3:59 and mental help these needs do
4:02 not disappear when someone
4:04 enters the criminal legal
4:08 system
4:08 . Pregnant and postpartum
4:10 people who are incarcerated
4:11 need the same timely access t
4:14 oappropriate care to protect
4:15 their health and the health of
4:17 their children as any other
4:19 New yorker people who are
4:20 pregnant while in custody face
4:23 additional challenges and
4:25 accessing health care care.
4:27 They rely on correctional
4:28 health providers end facility
4:31 staff to identify pregnancies
4:33 coordinate prenatal
4:35 appointments
4:35 . Respond to medical
4:36 treatment delays and referrals
4:44 or gaps in communication can
4:44 have serious consequences.
4:47 Mental health needs also
4:51 required attention throughout
4:54 pregnancy and after childbirth r
4:59 perinatal mood and anxiety
5:01 disorders and insuring that
5:02 people people experience and
5:04 serious symptoms receive
5:07 appropriate treatment
5:07 . New York City has taken
5:09 steps to establish
5:11 requirements and services for
5:12 pregnant people in custody
5:15 . Including requirements
5:17 related to reporting pregnancy
5:19 outcomes
5:19 . And access to paris prenatal
5:21 and postnatal care
5:23 . However it is important t
5:26 ounderstand how these
5:27 requirements are implemented
5:29 in practice how care is
5:30 coordinated between the
5:31 department of correction and
5:33 correctional health services
5:35 and whether people in custody
5:36 are consistently receiving the
5:38 services they need.
5:40 Today the committee will
5:42 examine how correctional
5:44 health services identifies and
5:46 supports pregnant and
5:48 postpartum people including
5:49 the procedures used during
5:51 intake to identify pregnancy
5:54 recent childbirth and
5:55 breastfeeding the committee
5:57 will also also consider their
5:58 health care needs of pregnant
6:00 and postpartum people in the
6:01 city's planned borough based
6:04 jail facilities.
6:04 As the City develops these
6:06 facilities it is important t
6:08 ounderstand how their design
6:11 medical spaces staffing and
6:13 service arrangements will
6:15 accommodate pregnancy
6:16 childbirth recovery breast
6:17 feeding and the needs of
6:18 parents and their infants
6:21 planning for these needs
6:23 requires more than providing
6:25 medical space it requires
6:27 clear procedures and
6:28 appropriate resources t
6:29 oensure a continuity of care
6:30 . This hearing will provide an
6:32 opportunity to understand what
6:34 data are available on
6:35 pregnancy and maternal health
6:37 care in custody how the City
6:38 monitors the quality and
6:41 timelines of care and what
6:43 challenges remain in ensuring
6:46 that pregnant and postpartum
6:48 people receive appropriate
6:51 treatment.
6:51 In addition to today's topic e
6:54 hearing introduction number
6:57 902 sponsored by councilmember
6:58 Lee in relation to menta
7:00 lhealth protocols are pregnant
7:02 and postpartum individuals in
7:04 the custody of the department
7:07 of correction
7:08 . We will also be here in
7:10 resolution resolution numbers
7:16 467 4 97 and 408 the
7:16 resolution 464 also sponsored
7:20 by councilmember Lee but call
7:23 on the to pass legislation
7:25 recognizing postpartum mental
7:28 illness
7:28 . As a mitigating factor in
7:31 criminal sentencing.
7:32 Resolution 497 sponsored by
7:35 councilmember Hudson recalling
7:36 the state to pass senate bill
7:42 206 6 7 7 c in an assembly.
7:43 Bill 678 which would
7:46 prohibit the use of restraints
7:48 and limit other uses of force
7:50 on pregnant and postpartum
7:51 individuals in the custody of
7:54 law enforcement
7:55 . Finally resolution 498 also
7:57 sponsored by Council Member
8:00 . Would call on the state t
8:03 opass legislation
8:04 . Allowing pregnant people to
8:06 postpone court proceedings
8:07 when in the later stages of
8:10 pregnancy these pieces of
8:11 legislation are meant t
8:13 osupport pregnant people who
8:15 have contact with the criminal
8:20 legal system a system where
8:21 being pregnant or postpartum
8:24 only amplifies the opportunity
8:26 for trauma one can experience.
8:30 I would like to thank my
8:30 staff and committee staff of
8:32 their their hard work frazier
8:34 counsel to the committee chad
8:38 benjamin policy analyst casey
8:40 lasky financial analyst owen
8:41 brady my policy and budget
8:43 director and rene taylor my
8:45 chief of staff I look forward
8:47 to a productive discussion
8:48 with the correctional health
8:50 services the department of
8:52 correction the board of
8:53 correction advocates and other
8:54 stakeholders about the care
8:56 available to pregnant and
8:57 postpartum people in custody
8:59 the challenges they continue
9:00 to face and the steps needed
9:02 to ensure that their medical
9:03 and mental health needs are
9:06 appropriately addressed thank
9:07 you chair and I I will turn it
9:08 back over to you
9:10 . Thank you so much cher
9:11 Brooks Powers today the
9:13 committees will also consider
9:16 the following legislation
9:17 intro number a hundred 4
9:19 4sponsored by Council Member
9:20 Rita Joseph and and council
9:22 member in relation t
9:23 orequiring a report regarding
9:24 an analysis of gender based
9:26 violence in the City and as
9:29 you've already heard from
9:29 sherbrooke Brooks Powers
9:31 introductions 902 the
9:34 committees also are
9:36 considering resolutions
9:37 numbers hundred 6497 and 4 9
9:43 8um finally I'd like to thank
9:43 committee staff julia
9:46 goldsmith pinkham katie selina
9:47 and allie staffer as well as
9:48 my own staff daniel curtain
9:51 for all of their work on
9:52 today's hearing I'd like t
9:54 oremind everyone who wishes t
9:55 otestify in person today that
9:57 you must pull out a witness
9:58 slip which you can find on the
9:59 desk of the sergeant at arms
10:01 near the entrance of this room n
10:04 if you have already registered
10:06 in advance that you will be
10:07 testifying in person today if
10:08 you wish to testify on any
10:11 legislation please indicate on
10:12 the witness slip whether
10:13 you're here to testify in
10:14 favor of or in opposition t
10:18 othe legislation I also want to
10:19 point out that we will not be
10:20 voting on any legislation
10:22 today
10:23 . To allow as many people as
10:24 possible to testify the
10:25 testimony will be limited t
10:27 otwo minutes per person whether
10:28 you are testifying in person
10:30 or on zoom I'm also going t
10:32 oask my colleagues to limit
10:33 their questions and comments
10:34 to five minutes please note
10:35 that witnesses who are here in
10:38 person will testify before
10:39 those who are signed into the
10:42 zum webinar I will now turn it
10:43 over to the committee counsel
10:44 to administer the oath good
10:48 morning in accordance with the
10:49 rules of the council
10:50 administer the affirmation to
10:53 the witnesses I'll call on you
10:54 each individually for a
10:56 response please raise your
10:57 right hands including folks
10:57 who be called up to answer
11:00 additional questions if you
11:01 have more than four of you
11:03 please raise your hand right
11:05 hand
11:05 . Do you firm to tell the
11:06 truth the whole truth and
11:07 nothing but the truth before
11:09 these committees and t
11:10 orespond honestly to council
11:11 member questions thank you
11:13 maybe.
11:14 Given money japan good morning
11:35 chair books Powers and a's and
11:37 members of committees on
11:39 dnancy aereo's and I serve as
11:45 the chief of nursing for New
11:46 York City health and hospitals
11:48 corrections health services I
11:49 am joined by my c h colleague
11:52 jeanette merrill senior system
11:54 vice president of
11:57 communications and external
11:59 affairs we appreciate the
12:00 opportunity to testify today
12:02 on maternal health and
12:04 criminal justice since 20 16
12:06 has been the direct provider
12:07 of physical and mental health
12:09 services to people in custody
12:11 of New York City department of
12:16 corrections women comprise
12:16 about 8% of our patient
12:18 population and have
12:20 significant clinical and
12:21 social medical needs based on
12:25 September 2026 data 82% of the
12:26 women in our care were
12:28 enrolled in the mental health
12:30 service 47% of women were
12:31 diagnosed with serious mental
12:33 illness and 34% of women had
12:35 an opioid use disorder we
12:37 recognize the tremendous
12:39 responsibility and opportunity h
12:43 quality health services
12:44 including perinatal care t
12:46 oour patients last calendar
12:47 year there were 52 pregnant
12:49 individuals in total in our
12:51 care for many of our pregnant
12:53 patients there connections t
12:53 ocommunity based health care
12:55 and support networks have been
12:56 disrupted by their
12:58 incarceration making the
12:59 services provides especially
13:01 important other pregnant
13:02 patients have been out of care
13:04 in the community due t
13:06 ochallenges accessing providers
13:08 or navigating services
13:10 presenting an opportunity to
13:12 engage them in prenatal
13:13 services that can promote
13:13 maternal fetal health.
13:15 C h s medical and nursing
13:17 professionals conduct a
13:19 comprehensive medical
13:20 evaluation of all individuals
13:21 when they are admitted to the
13:23 New York City jail system at
13:26 the rosen single center arms c
13:28 or rosie's clinical staff
13:30 obtained reproductive health
13:32 history and offer pregnancy
13:33 testing to all reproductive
13:36 age patients okay okay okay
13:39 I'm sorry
13:39 . Based on the information of
13:40 changes in the intake
13:42 assessment patients be
13:43 referred for follow up medical
13:44 care or to the mental health
13:46 service for additional
13:48 evaluations postpartum
13:49 patients can be referred t
13:50 oz's obstetrician for a
13:53 postpartum visit or well women
13:54 care which include pelvic exam r
13:59 other reproductive and sexual
14:02 health services for patients
14:03 who are pregnant at the time
14:04 of jail admission clinicians
14:07 ordered prenatal labs and
14:07 vitamins and make referrals t
14:10 othe obstetrician for prompt
14:11 follow up care clinicians will
14:13 work to obtain a lot of
14:14 information if the patient was
14:15 engaged and cared in the
14:17 community all pregnant
14:19 patients received routine
14:21 prenatal care m singer where
14:23 they have access to on site as
14:25 well as pregnancy related