Relates to creating NYCHA-based health centers to provide basic health services for residents living on NYCHA campuses, specifically specialty care and testing for lead poisoning and mold exposure and specifically respiratory related illnesses.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
5356
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
April 29, 2019
___________
Introduced by Sen. COMRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to creating
NYCHA-based health centers
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding a new section
2 411 to read as follows:
3 § 411. NYCHA-based health centers. 1. The department shall establish
4 health centers on campuses for residents living on such campuses.
5 2. For purposes of this section:
6 (a) "campus" shall refer to an individual development owned by the New
7 York city housing authority;
8 (b) "health center" shall mean an area located within a campus desig-
9 nated by the New York city housing authority for the purpose of provid-
10 ing basic health services, such area shall be located on the first floor
11 in a designated community space accessible to all; and
12 (c) "basic health services" shall mean primary care and preventative
13 health services, including prenatal care; screenings for vision, hear-
14 ing, asthma, tuberculosis and other medical conditions as determined by
15 the commissioner; medical care and treatment for illnesses, including
16 the prescribing of medication; and specialty care and testing for lead
17 poisoning and mold exposure, and specifically respiratory related
18 illnesses.
19 3. The department shall provide the resources necessary to establish
20 such health centers. Such resources shall include, but not be limited
21 to, materials used to perform screenings and diagnostic blood tests,
22 materials used to maintain a safe and sanitary health center, and
23 personnel to provide primary health care services and assist in the
24 administration of such health centers.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00628-01-9
S. 5356 2
1 4. The department shall establish at least one health center at a
2 campus within each borough in the city of New York. The location of such
3 health centers shall be based on the need and reported health dispari-
4 ties within each borough.
5 5. The department shall allocate such resources in a manner determined
6 by the department for the purposes of this section.
7 6. The department shall evaluate the effectiveness of such health
8 centers and prepare a report on the performance of such health centers,
9 the manner in which each health center's resources were allocated, the
10 number of primary care visits, the number of persons tested for lead and
11 respiratory illnesses, the frequency of such testing and the number of
12 persons testing positively for lead poisoning and/or mold exposure, and
13 the health outcomes and improvements associated with such individuals.
14 Such performance report shall be delivered to the governor, the tempo-
15 rary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly by December
16 first, two thousand twenty-one, and every year thereafter.
17 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately; provided that such health
18 centers, as added by section one of this act, shall be established by
19 the department of health no later than the one hundred eightieth day
20 after it shall have become a law.
