Section 2524. Consideration of prenatal care service providers

1. The
  commissioner  shall  give  particular  consideration  to  prenatal  care
  service providers who can demonstrate the following:
    (a)  willingness  and  ability  to provide comprehensive prenatal care
  services to low-income women;
    (b) satisfactory experience in  serving  medicaid-eligible  and  other
  low-income clientele;
    (c)  willingness and ability to supplement prenatal care and nutrition
  program funds with in-kind staff, services, and local funds;
    (d) ability to provide services, on-site or  through  referral,  under
  the women, infants and children's program and the supplemental nutrition
  assistance program;
    (e)  agreements  with  a  general  hospital  for delivery services and
  referrals for care of high-risk service  recipients  and  mechanisms  to
  assure that services were received;
    (f) coordination of medical assistance eligibility determinations with
  local departments of social services;
    (g) willingness and ability to maintain data collection and evaluation
  of the prenatal care assistance program; and
    (h)  provision  of  services  to low-income women who currently do not
  have access to prenatal care services.
    2. In reviewing the applications of public education organization, the
  commissioner shall  give  particular  consideration  to  applicants  who
  demonstrate the following:
    (a)  evidence of poor access to prenatal care services by the intended
  service population;
    (b) ability to coordinate public education services with prenatal care
  services; and
    (c) willingness and ability to maintain data collection and evaluation
  of the prenatal care assistance program.
    3. The commissioner shall give priority to service providers  for  new
  services or expansion of existing services.