Bill > S05857

This bill establishes protocols for the handling of stillbirths by healthcare facilities in New York and creates a stillbirth research database. The bill requires the state Department of Health, in consultation with various medical boards, to develop comprehensive policies and procedures for healthcare facilities to follow when a stillbirth occurs. These include protocols for communicating with the family, providing bereavement support and psychological services, and ensuring a thorough evaluation of the stillbirth. The bill also mandates the collection of data related to each stillbirth, which will be stored in a confidential database to help identify the causes of and ways to prevent stillbirths. The commissioner of health is required to report on the findings of this evaluation and provide recommendations for legislative action within five years of the bill's effective date.