Int. No. 941
By Council Members Lee, Louis and Hanif
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring the department of health and mental hygiene to develop and offer resources, clinical guidance and training on disability and accessibility in health care settings
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Chapter 1 of title 17 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 17-199.34 to read as follows:
§ 17-199.34 Disability and accessibility resources and training. a. Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
Clinical guidance. The term “clinical guidance” means written or electronic recommendations, best practices, protocols, referral resources, or informational materials developed to assist health care providers in delivering equitable, accessible, and disability-competent care.
Covered health care provider. The term “covered health care provider” means any health care provider employed by the New York city health and hospitals corporation.
Disability organization. The term “disability organization” means a nonprofit organization, advocacy organization, service provider, or community-based organization with demonstrated expertise serving individuals with disabilities.
Health care provider. The term “health care provider” means a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, nurse, midwife, social worker, psychologist, counselor, therapist, or other individual providing health-related services.
b. Development of training, guidance, and resources. No later than 1 year after the effective date of the local law that added this section, the commissioner, in consultation with the mayor’s office for people with disabilities, New York city health and hospitals corporation, the department of citywide administrative services, disability organizations, persons with disabilities, and other relevant stakeholders and subject matter experts, shall develop:
1. A training program for covered health care providers on disability and accessibility;
2. Clinical guidance; and
3. Educational resources for health care providers and patients regarding disability-related health care access rights, accommodations, communication access, and available city resources for persons with disabilities.
c. Training content. The training program required pursuant to paragraph 1 of subdivision b of this section shall be designed to improve provider competency in serving persons with disabilities and shall include instruction regarding:
1. Federal, state, and local disability rights laws and obligations applicable in health care settings, including requirements related to reasonable accommodation and effective communication;
2. Disability competency, disability culture, and disability-inclusive practices;
3. Strategies for communicating with persons with physical, sensory, intellectual, developmental, and psychiatric disabilities including the use of qualified interpreters, auxiliary aids and services, plain language materials, captioning, and accessible electronic communications;
4. Supported decision-making, informed consent, patient autonomy, and guardianship-related considerations;
5. Barriers experienced by persons with disabilities in accessing sexual and reproductive health care, preventive care, behavioral health care, and emergency medical services;
6. Bias, stigma, and discrimination experienced by persons with disabilities in health care settings;
7. Best practices for accessible physical environments and medical equipment;
8. Referral pathways and community-based resources available to persons with disabilities; and
9. Any other topics the commissioner deems appropriate.
d. Publication of resources and guidelines. The commissioner shall publish and maintain on the department’s website the resources and clinical guidance developed pursuant to paragraphs 2 and 3 of subdivision b to this section.
e. New York city health and hospitals corporation training. The commissioner shall offer to each covered health care provider the training developed pursuant to subdivision c of this section. Upon the request of the president of the New York city health and hospitals corporation, the commissioner may assist in incorporating the training required pursuant to this section into the existing professional development, continuing education, onboarding, or annual compliance trainings conducted by the New York city health and hospitals corporation.
f. Reporting. No later than 2 years after the effective date of the local law that added this section, and annually thereafter, the commissioner, in coordination with the mayor’s office for people with disabilities and the New York city health and hospitals corporation, shall submit to the mayor and the speaker of the council, and post on the department’s website, a report regarding implementation of this section. Such report shall include, but need not be limited to:
1. A description of the training, clinical guidance, and educational resources developed pursuant to this section;
2. The number of covered health care providers who completed the training during the preceding calendar year, disaggregated by employing facility;
3. Information regarding updates made to the training curriculum, clinical guidance, and educational resources during the preceding calendar year;
4. Any feedback received from health care providers, patients, or the general public relating to the training curriculum, clinical guidance, or educational resources; and
5. Recommendations for improving disability competency and accessibility in health care settings.
§ 2. This local law takes effect 180 days after it becomes law.
SOS/NAW
LSR #19528
5/29/26 1:22 PM