AN ACT Relating to access to midwifery and doula services for incarcerated women; adding a new section to chapter 72.09 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 70.48 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 72.09 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The department must make reasonable accommodations for the provision of available doula services to inmates who are pregnant or who have given birth in the last six weeks. Persons providing doula services must be granted appropriate facility access, must be allowed to attend and provide assistance during labor and childbirth where feasible, and must have access to the inmate's relevant health care information, as defined in RCW 70.02.010, if the inmate authorizes disclosure.

(2) For purposes of this section, "doula services" are services provided by a trained doula and designed to provide physical, emotional, or informational support to a pregnant woman before, during, and after delivery of a child. Doula services may include, but are not limited to: Support and assistance during labor and childbirth; prenatal and postpartum education; breastfeeding assistance; parenting education; and support in the event that a woman has been or will become separated from her child.

(3) Nothing in this section requires the department to establish or provide funding for doula services, or prevents the department from adopting policy guidelines for the delivery of doula services to inmates.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 70.48 RCW to read as follows:

(1) Jails must make reasonable accommodations for the provision of available doula services to inmates who are pregnant or who have given birth in the last six weeks. Persons providing doula services must be granted appropriate facility access, must be allowed to attend and provide assistance during labor and childbirth where feasible, and must have access to the inmate's relevant health care information, as defined in RCW 70.02.010, if the inmate authorizes disclosure.

(2) For purposes of this section, "doula services" are services provided by a trained doula and designed to provide physical, emotional, or informational support to a pregnant woman before, during, and after delivery of a child. Doula services may include, but are not limited to: Support and assistance during labor and childbirth; prenatal and postpartum education; breastfeeding assistance; parenting education; and support in the event that a woman has been or will become separated from her child.

(3) Nothing in this section requires governing units to establish or provide funding for doula services, or prevents the adoption of policy guidelines for the delivery of doula services to inmates.

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