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The New York City Council Committees on Women and Gender Equity and on Criminal Justice met jointly on October 27, 2026, at 10:00 AM at 250 Broadway, Hearing Room 2, for an oversight hearing on maternal health and criminal justice. Chair Amanda C. Farías and Chair Sylvina Brooks-Powers led the hearing. Present were Councilmembers Aldebol, Gutiérrez, and Santosuosso; Schulman was absent. Other attending members included Brooks-Powers, Morano, Cabán, Hudson, Feliz, and Narcisse, along with Public Advocate Williams. The committees examined prenatal and postpartum care, mental health services, restraint policies, and nursery and doula programs for pregnant and postpartum people in New York City jails, and heard testimony on Intro 0902-2026, Intro 1144-2026, and Resolutions 464, 497, and 498. No votes were taken.
Good morning and welcome to the New York City Council hearing, joint hearing for the Committee on Women and Gender Equity and the Committee on Criminal Justice. At this time, I'm gonna ask that everyone in the room silence all cell phones and electronic devices. If you uh wish to testify, you need to fill out an appearance card. If you haven't done so but want to testify, see the sergeant at arms at the desk right outside, and we'll get you signed up. Most importantly, at this time, no one is allowed to approach the dais. Chair, you may begin. Good morning, everyone. I'm Councilmember Amanda Farillas, Chair of the Committee on Women and Gender Equity. I'm excited to be joined by Chair of the Committee on Criminal Justice, Councilmember Sylvina Brooks Powers for today's hearing on maternal health and criminal justice. First, I'd like to acknowledge my colleagues who are present, including Council Members Morano and Caban. Thank you both for being here today. The intersection of maternal health and the criminal justice system represents a critical public health and human rights crisis in the United States, where women are the fastest growing segment of the incarcerated population. National data shows that among incarcerated women, three out of four are of childbearing age. Incarcerated pregnant individuals face severe systemic barriers, including inconsistent prenatal care, high rates of untreated substance use, and mental health conditions, and the use of shackling during labor and delivery. Whether an incarcerated pregnant person decides to carry their pregnancy to term or have an abortion, they have a constitutionally protected right to obtain appropriate medical care. It's important to note that mass incarceration and the maternal mortality crisis disproportionately impact black and low-income women. Communities of color are disproportionately represented in New York City jail admissions, making up almost 90% of admissions, despite only compromising 52% of the city's general population. When compounded with the fact that black women overall are three times more likely than white women to die because they were pregnant, and three times more likely to suffer severe complications like fibroids, the added risks for black pregnant people of being incarcerated during pregnancy are high. In New York City, 52 incarcerated people were reported last year as pregnant by correctional health services in a 2025 report produced by the Arnold Institute for Global Health, New York City's partnership. Interviews with individuals who gave birth while incarcerated in New York City revealed gaps in both the medical and correctional systems. The systems often lack mattresses sufficient for pregnancy support, nutritious foods, outdoor time and fresh air, safety from hazards such as mace and mold, and supplies and support for lactation. Participants also shared that they had limited access to the type of information about pregnancy and childbirth that would be available in the community, such as pamphlets, books, classes, and groups. So today, we'll ask what correctional health services and the Department of Correction are doing to address these gaps, and how are they delivering maternal health services to pregnant individuals while incarcerated? Now I'd like to invite Chair Brooks Powers to deliver her opening statement. I want to join Chair Freddy S and welcoming everyone to today's hearing on maternal health and criminal justice. Pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum period require consistent medical care, appropriate nutrition, access to reproductive health care, and support for both physical and mental health. These needs do not disappear when someone enters the criminal legal system. Pregnant and postpartum people who are incarcerated need the same timely access to appropriate care to protect their health and the health of their children as any other New Yorker. People who are pregnant while in custody face additional challenges in accessing health care. They rely on correctional health providers and facility staff to identify pregnancies, coordinate prenatal appointments, respond to medical complications, and provide care after delivery. Interruptions in treatment, delays in referrals or gaps in communication can have serious consequences. Mental health needs also require attention throughout pregnancy and after childbirth, including screening for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, and ensuring that people experiencing serious symptoms receive appropriate treatment. New York City has taken steps to establish requirements and services for pregnant people in custody, including requirements related to reporting pregnancy outcomes and access to prenatal and postnatal care. However, it is important to understand how these requirements are implemented in practice. How care is coordinated between the Department of Correction and Correctional Health Services and whether people in custody are consistently receiving the services they need. Today, the committee will examine how correctional health services identifies and supports pregnant and postpartum people, including the procedures used during intake to identify pregnancy, recent childbirth, and breastfeeding. The committee will also consider the health care needs of pregnant and postpartum people in the city's planned borough-based jail facilities. As the city develops these facilities, it is important to understand how they're designed, medical spaces, staffing, and service arrangements will accommodate pregnancy, childbirth recovery, breastfeeding, and the needs of parents and their infants. Planning for these needs requires more than providing medical space. It requires clear procedures and appropriate resources to ensure continuity of care. This hearing will provide an opportunity to understand what data are available on pregnancy and maternal health care and custody, how the city monitors the quality and timelines of care and what challenges remain in ensuring that pregnant and postpartum people receive appropriate treatment. In addition to today's topic, the committee will be hearing introduction number 902, sponsored by councilmember Lee in relation to mental health protocols for pregnant and postpartum individuals in the custody of the Department of Correction. We will also be hearing resolution number resolution numbers 467, 497 and 498. The resolution 464, also sponsored by Councilmember Lee, would call on the state to pass legislation recognizing postpartum mental illness as a mitigating factor in criminal sentencing. Resolution 497, sponsored by councilmember Hudson, recalling the state to pass Senate Bill 2667C and Assembly Bill 1670, which would prohibit the use of restraints and limit other uses of force on pregnant and postpartum individuals in