New York City Council committees held an oversight hearing June 15, 2026, to examine whether city-run health facilities will meet the federal August 9, 2026 deadline requiring at least one accessible medical exam table and one accessible weight scale at each covered facility; agencies reported DOH sexual health clinics have accessible exam tables but said they do not provide weight scales, H+H said it is assessing equipment systemwide, and the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) said it will continue coordinating compliance. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=0
# What’s happening
– Federal rule requires one accessible exam table and one accessible weight scale per covered facility by August 9, 2026. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=0
– New York City Department of Health (DOH) reported its six sexual health clinics have accessible exam tables. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=364
– NYC Health + Hospitals (H+H) said it is assessing which sites meet accessible scale requirements and will report back. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=3193
# Why it matters
– People with disabilities who need reproductive and sexual health care in New York City. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=364
– Accessible equipment ensures accurate exams, weight measurements, and informed clinical decisions. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=3100
# Key details
– Federal deadline: August 9, 2026 — one accessible exam table and one accessible weight scale per covered facility. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=0
– DOH operates six sexual health clinics around the city. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=364
– Local Law 12 of 2023 required DOH to develop a five-year accessibility plan covering physical, digital, communication, programmatic, and workplace access. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=364
– DOH told the Council its clinics are compliant for accessible exam tables but said they do not currently provide weight scales. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=3100
– H+H told the Council it is assessing equipment and policies, and said accessible medical diagnostic equipment and accessible birth rooms exist across its system. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=2736; https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=1603
– MOPD said it does not receive DOH accessibility progress reports directly but will continue coordinating with DOH and H+H on meeting the deadline. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=4920
**New York City Department of Health (DOH)**
– Role or jurisdiction: City health agency overseeing public health and six sexual health clinics.
– Action taken or responsibility: Developed a five-year accessibility plan and testified clinics are compliant for accessible exam tables.
– Relevant numbers or dates: Six sexual health clinics; Local Law 12 of 2023; federal deadline August 9, 2026. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=364
The Committee on Disabilities, jointly with the Committees on Health and Hospitals, convened on June 15, 2026, to review access to reproductive and sexual health care for New Yorkers with disabilities. Council Members and witnesses focused on the federal medical diagnostic equipment (MDE) requirement that covered facilities have at least one accessible exam table and one accessible weight scale by August 9, 2026. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=0
DOH told the committee that all of its sexual health clinics are compliant “in regards to the beds,” and that the clinics currently do not provide weight scales because weight is not necessary for the services they offer. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=3100
**New York City Health + Hospitals (H+H)**
– Role or jurisdiction: City’s public hospital system operating hospitals, prenatal clinics, and labor and delivery units.
– Action taken or responsibility: Assessing equipment and policies to address gaps and will report on MDE compliance.
– Relevant numbers or dates: Reported accessible birthing beds and accessible birth rooms across the system; compliance subject to confirmation by H+H. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=2736; https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=1603
H+H representatives told the Council they comply with ADA and other requirements and that the system “constantly” assesses equipment and policies as legislation and regulations change. On scales, H+H said many sites likely have ADA-compliant scales but staff would need to confirm exactly which facilities meet the federal requirement. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=2736; https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=3193
**Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD)**
– Role or jurisdiction: City office coordinating disability access policies across agencies.
– Action taken or responsibility: Coordinating with DOH and H+H and offering continued support to meet federal MDE deadline.
– Relevant numbers or dates: Stated it does not receive DOH accessibility progress reports directly; will continue follow-up before August 9, 2026. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=4920; https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=5014
MOPD testified it works with DOH and H+H and will continue to assist agencies to meet the August 9, 2026 deadline, but also said the accessibility progress reports are not submitted to MOPD and that agencies publish plans on their own public-facing websites. MOPD offered to share observations with the Council after reviewing available reports. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=4920; https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=5014
Council members raised questions about equipment procurement, tracking, and programmatic access. Witnesses discussed barriers including inaccessible exam spaces, narrow doorways, insufficient accessible medical equipment, and aging infrastructure predating the Americans with Disabilities Act. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=364
Committee members pressed agencies for a facility-level accounting of which sites have compliant exam tables and weight scales. DOH said it would defer on scale counts because its clinics do not provide scales for current services. H+H said it would need to confirm specific site compliance and provide follow-up. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=3100; https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=3193
Witnesses and members discussed related laws and programs, including Local Law 12 of 2023 (the DOH five-year accessibility plan) and Local Law 84 of 2024 (Intro. 435 of 2024), which expands DOH sexual health clinics. The committees requested clearer public reporting on facility-level MDE compliance ahead of the August 9, 2026 federal deadline. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=364; https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=5993
The agencies committed to continued coordination and to providing more detailed responses after the hearing, including confirmation of which DOH and H+H sites have accessible weight scales and exam tables that meet the federal standards. The Council asked for follow-up reporting and transparency on procurement and compliance timelines. Source: https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=3193; https://youtu.be/Jlb6GfmZwus&t=5014
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