New York City Council held an oversight hearing on June 15, 2026, on access to reproductive and sexual health care for New Yorkers with disabilities, questioning the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOH) and NYC Health + Hospitals (H&H) about which City sexual health clinics offer medication abortion at no cost, why services are not yet citywide, and what operational or budgetary barriers prevent scaling up. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus
# What’s happening
– DOH testified it currently has no plans to expand medication abortion citywide. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=7022
– Four of the six DOH sexual health clinics currently provide medication abortion. Source (earlier hearing): https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=6936
– Intro 953 would require free medication abortion at all DOH sexual health clinics. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=1106
# Why it matters
– New Yorkers with disabilities who use sexual health clinics may face inconsistent access to medication abortion. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=1106
– Inconsistent clinic availability can create time-sensitive delays, travel needs, and unequal care across neighborhoods. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=1106
# Key details
– Oversight hearing date: June 15, 2026, City Hall Council Chambers. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus
– DOH operates six sexual health clinics that offer low- or no-cost reproductive services. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=364
– Medication abortion is currently available at four of six sexual health clinics; DOH said it is working on a fifth site. Source (earlier hearing): https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=6936
– DOH and H&H cited operational barriers: clinic space, staffing and hiring shortages, cost, capacity, and insufficient medication supply to expand services. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=2143 ; https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=7116
– The City previously allocated a $5 million baseline for abortion access work, including about $1 million for an abortion access hub and roughly $4 million for public clinics (earlier briefing). Source (earlier hearing): https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=6936
– DOH said it does not currently track disability status in clinic outcome data. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=7116
**New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOH)**
– Role or jurisdiction: City agency that operates six sexual health clinics and runs citywide public health programs. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=1817
– Action taken or responsibility: Testified at June 15 oversight hearing on reproductive health access and supported expanding medication abortion. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=2066
– Relevant numbers or dates: Six sexual health clinics; said no current plans to expand medication abortion citywide as of June 15, 2026. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=7022
New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene officials testified that the department runs six sexual health clinics offering a range of low- or no-cost reproductive services, and that some clinics already provide medication abortion while others do not. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=1817 ; https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=364
DOH witnesses described existing access pathways: walk-in medication abortion at clinics that provide it, and a telemedicine pre-screening option through the City’s abortion access hub that links patients to clinic sites and partner providers. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=7022 ; https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=3674
DOH supported the intent of legislation that would require medication abortion be available at no cost at all City sexual health clinics, but officials said they face operational constraints and have no current plan to implement citywide expansion. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=2066 ; https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=7022
**Abortion access hub**
– Role or jurisdiction: City-run confidential hotline and referral system for abortion care and related services. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=3674
– Action taken or responsibility: Connects callers to abortion care, telemedicine options, and partner providers. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=3674
– Relevant numbers or dates: Officials reported the hub has handled roughly 9,400 calls and referred about 8,000 patients (earlier briefing). Source (earlier hearing): https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=6936
City officials emphasized that the abortion access hub and partner referrals are central to meeting demand, especially in neighborhoods without on-site medication abortion at every clinic. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=3674 ; https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=3844
Officials from DOH and NYC Health + Hospitals (H&H) described the operational barriers the City faces if it were to expand medication abortion to all six sexual health clinics. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=2143 ; https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=7116
H&H representatives said some acute care facilities offer procedural abortions and that H&H telemedicine “virtual express” has been used to support medication abortion access. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=3844
DOH and H&H said specific barriers include:
– Clinic space: Some services require specialized exam space or equipment not available at every location. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=6936 ; https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=7116
– Staffing and hiring: DOH cited ongoing hiring challenges to staff expanded services. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=2143
– Medication supply: DOH said it would need to reassess medication supply to cover all clinics. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=7116
– Cost and capacity: Officials named cost and overall clinic capacity as limits on scaling services. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=2143
DOH did not provide a citywide cost estimate for scaling medication abortion to all six clinics during the June 15 oversight hearing. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=7022
At an earlier City briefing, officials said the City’s baseline funding included $5 million for abortion access work, roughly $1 million for the abortion access hub and about $4 million to support medication abortion in public clinics; officials did not say that this funding alone would complete citywide expansion. Source (earlier hearing, June 5, 2026): https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=6936
DOH also described accessibility planning under Local Law 12 of 2023, a five-year plan addressing physical access, digital access, effective communication, programmatic access, and workplace inclusion. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=364
DOH told the Council it does not currently track disability status in its clinic outcome data, a point raised during questioning about disparities for people with intellectual, developmental, sensory, and psychiatric disabilities. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=7116
Council members pressed agencies for clinic-level detail and timelines; agency witnesses reiterated use of the abortion access hub and Health + Hospitals telemedicine to fill gaps while noting space, staffing, supply, and funding as unresolved barriers. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=7022 ; https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=3674
**NYC Health + Hospitals (H&H)**
– Role or jurisdiction: City public hospital system that provides acute care and telemedicine support. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=2143
– Action taken or responsibility: Provides procedural abortion at some acute care facilities and supports telemedicine medication abortion pathways. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=3844
– Relevant numbers or dates: H&H operates acute care facilities offering procedural abortion in Queens (Elmhurst, Queens Hospital referenced). Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=3844
Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus
Source (earlier briefing on funding and hub metrics): https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=6936
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