Renames the office of minority health to the office of health equity; repealer

Title of bill

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to redefining the duties and renaming the office of minority health to the office of health equity and renaming the minority health council to the health equity council; and to repeal certain provisions of such law relating thereto

Purpose of bill

This bill would amend the Public Health Law (PHL) to rename the Office of Minority Health to the Office of Health Equity, to broaden the scope of the newly named Office of Health Equity, and to rename the Minority Health Council to the Health Equity Council.

Summary of provisions

Section 1 of the bill would amend Title H-F of Article 2 of the PHL to reflect the renaming of the Office of Minority Health to the Office of Health Equity.

Section 2 of the bill would repeal PHL § 240 and add a new Section 240 that provides the definitions for Title II-F of Article 2. The following terms are defined: vulnerable populations, racially and ethnically diverse area, provider, Office, Health Equity Council, health disparities, health equity, and social determinants of health.

Section 3 of the bill would repeal PHL § 241 and add a new Section 241. The new section renames the Office of Minority Health to the Office of Health Equity. It also broadens the scope of the newly named Office of Health Equity to include working with vulnerable populations and to consider factors, such as the economic, physical, and social environments, that could have an impact on health outcomes.

Section 4 of the bill would provide technical amendments and amend the reporting requirements of the Office of Health Equity to include analysis of the health status of vulnerable populations and recommendations to programs intended to meet the health and health care needs of vulnerable populations.

Section 5 of the bill would rename the Minority Health Council to the Health Equity Council and that membership of the Health Equity Council should reflect the various vulnerable populations in the State.

Section 6 would provide the effective date of the bill.

Justification

Over the past year, the Office of Minority Health (Office) has deliberated on the use of the terms "minority" and "disparity" and the growing sentiment to move away from their use. The Office believes a formal name change to the Office of Health Equity more accurately reflects the mission, vision, and values of the Department of Health and the Office.

The term "minority" limits the understanding of the population the Office serves and given the demographic shifts in New York State, utilizing the term "minority" excludes many other groups of people who face health disparities and barriers. This perceived limitation does not align with the functions and goals of the Office. The term "equity" would better reflect the purpose of the Office, which is to serve all vulnerable populations. The term "health equity" within the newly named Office also signifies the concepts that there are larger societal determinants of health outcomes and that the observed measurable differences in health and well-being can be impacted by collective public health action.

Prior legislative history

This is a new bill.

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

Immediate.