Includes representation on the New York state palliative care and education and training council of social workers and home care

BILL NUMBER:S7601B

Title of bill

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to the palliative care education and training council; and to direct such council to examine and make recommendations relating to such training and education in nursing and social work schools

Purpose

To amend the state's Palliative Care Education and Training Council to promote practitioner education, training, skills and participation in palliative care programs, and ultimately the provision of and access to needed palliative care for patients.

Summary of provisions

Section one amends the state Palliative Care Education and Training Council to add to the council membership individuals representative of home care, and social work.

Section two directs the Council, within its mission, to examine and make recommendations to the commissioners of health and education, the chancellor of the State University of New York, and the Chairs of the Senate and Assembly Committees on Health, Education and Higher Education, with regard to the need, approaches and resources to provide for palliative care education and training in state certified schools of nursing and social work, as well as in practice settings at the health care facility or agency level.

In carrying out this charge, the legislation asks the Council to solicit and consider the input of nursing and social work schools.

Section three establishes an immediate effective date for the bill.

Justification

Palliative care is vital to the care, quality of life and health care experience for many patients and families. Palliative care, while increasingly recognized for its critical role in patient care, and its potential value to the overall functioning and cost-effectiveness of the health care system, remains very under-utilized and inaccessible.

Palliative care access and integration into the continuum of care is one of the focal points of the state's current health care reform and development efforts. Among the recommendations emanating from the field is the need to encourage, support and advance education, training and participation in palliative care by health care practitioners. The Palliative Care Education and Training Program, established by Chapter 58 of 2007, focuses on palliative care education for medical students and medical residents, as well as support for education programs in medical schools and residency programs. Along with physicians, nurses and social workers similarly play a vital role in the provision and ultimately the accessibility and quality of palliative care. However, there are no comparable efforts or policies under way to similarly encourage and/or support education, training and exposure to the palliative care field for nursing and social work practitioners.

This legislation seeks to address further clinical education and participation in palliative care by charging the state Palliative Care

Education and Training Council to examine and make recommendations with regard to the need, approaches and resources to provide for palliative care education and training in state certified schools of nursing and social work, as well as in practice settings at the health care facility or agency level.

In further support of palliative care development and access, the legislation also adds to the Council representation and expertise provided by home care, and social workers (nurses and physicians are already on the Council).

This legislation, and the Council's examination and recommendations to follow, addresses a core issue in palliative care development and access, and will lead to patient care, quality of life, health system and cost-efficiency benefits.

Legislative history

New bill.

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

This bill shall take effect immediately.