(a) The Department shall make reasonable accommodations for the provision of available midwifery or doula services to pregnant or postpartum women who have given birth in the last 6 weeks who are subject to the custody of the Department at Level IV or V. Persons providing midwifery or 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 woman’s relevant, otherwise protected health-care information if the woman seeking midwifery or doula services authorizes disclosure.

(b) The Department shall provide written notice to all pregnant and postpartum women subject to the custody of the Department at Level IV or V of the availability of midwifery and doula services.

(c) Definitions. —

As used in this section:

(1) “Doula services” means services provided by a trained doula and designed to provide physical, emotional, or information support to a pregnant woman before, during, and after delivery of a child. “Doula services” include the following:

a. Support and assistance during labor and childbirth.

b. Prenatal and postpartum educations.

c. Breastfeeding assistance and lactation support.

d. Parenting education.

e. Support in the event that a woman has been or will become separated from her child.

(2) “Midwife” means a midwife licensed under subchapter XIII of Chapter 17 of Title 24 or a certified nurse midwife licensed under Chapter 19 of Title 24.

(3) “Midwifery services” means medical aid rendered by a midwife to a woman during prenatal, intrapartum, or postpartum stages, or to a woman’s newborn outside of the correctional facility up to 2 weeks of age.

(d) Subject to the availability of funds, the department shall provide midwifery or doula services to pregnant or postpartum women who have given birth in the last 6 weeks who are subject to the custody of the Department at Level IV or V.

(e) Nothing in this section prevents the Department from adopting policy guidelines for the delivery of midwifery or doula services to pregnant or postpartum women subject to the custody of the Department at Level IV or V. Services under this section may not supplant health-care services routinely provided to women subject to the custody of the department at Level IV or V.

83 Del. Laws, c. 368, § 1; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § ?1;