New York, NY (May 28, 2025)—Today, Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez introduced the SAFE Pregnancy & Opioid Treatment Act (Intro 1284), a first-of-its-kind bill requiring the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) to launch a citywide provider education campaign on treating opioid use disorder (OUD) during and after pregnancy. The legislation also mandates that opioid reversal medications like naloxone be distributed for free at neighborhood health centers across the city. This bill is another step that the City Council is actively taking to lower maternal mortality rates in New York City. 

In 2024, DOHMH released their 2024 Health Advisory #31 advising that overdose is the leading cause of pregnancy-associated death in NYC. Looking at the report covering 2016-2020, there were 241 recorded such deaths, with approximately one in seven attributed to overdoses, more than three-quarters of which involved opioids. Amid these rising opioid-related deaths and a public health system often failing to meet the needs of pregnant people with OUD, this legislation ensures that healthcare providers are trained with accurate, life-saving information—and that pregnant and postpartum New Yorkers have access to the care and medication they need to survive.

“Stigma is deadly—and it’s even more dangerous when it blocks access to medical care during pregnancy,” said Council Member Gutierrez. “At the Council, we have prioritized tackling maternal mortality from every angle and taking the recommendation task forces seriously. This bill ensures that we are listening to the science, trusting the data, and making sure providers are equipped to treat opioid use disorder with care, compassion, and evidence-based tools.”

The bill directs DOHMH to:

  • Create a public health campaign with input from professional medical organizations.
  • Focus provider training on the benefits of opioid agonist therapies (like methadone and buprenorphine) and the dangers of forced withdrawal during pregnancy.
  • Ensure materials reflect recommendations from the New York State Department of Health and trusted national bodies.
  • Offer opioid antagonists (e.g., naloxone) for free at neighborhood health service centers, along with clear usage guidance.

“On Staten Island especially, we have seen higher rates of death and addiction through the ravages of the opioid scourge, lost loved ones, lost and shattered lives.  Our live lost to pregnancy are also shockingly too high, offering these alternatives will save lives and give hope to those suffering and I am proud to support this common sense legislation,” said Council Member Kamillah Hanks.

“As Chair of the Council’s Health Committee, I’m proud to support this vital legislation to ensure that pregnant people struggling with opioid use disorder receive compassionate, evidence-based care. Too often, stigma and misinformation stand in the way of life-saving treatment. By educating healthcare providers and expanding access to tools like naloxone, this bill will help protect the health and dignity of both parents and their babies. I commend Council Member Gutierrez for her leadership on this critical issue,”said Council Member Lynn Schulman.

This bill addresses the critical need to bridge medical gaps for pregnant people facing addiction—and supports an approach grounded in harm reduction, not punishment.

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