What's happening
This bill requires the creation of health centers in NYCHA developments to provide primary and preventive health services for residents.
Why it matters
Directly addresses long-standing health disparities. by placing health centers in NYCHA developments, which are home to many low-income New Yorkers who often face barriers to accessing primary and preventive care.
Focuses on key health risks specific to public housing residents,. such as lead poisoning, mold exposure, and respiratory illnesses, which have been persistent and well-documented issues in NYCHA buildings.
Mandates ongoing evaluation and transparency. through required annual performance reports, including data on service usage, testing rates, health outcomes, and resource allocation—providing accountability and enabling adjustments to better meet residents' needs.
Prioritizes resource allocation based on demonstrated need and health disparities. within each borough, aiming to ensure the health centers are established where they can have the greatest impact and not just distributed evenly regardless of local conditions.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Open Health Centers in NYCHA
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 14
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to health
- Referred to health
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Create NYCHA Health Centers
In Assembly Committee · Health · Sponsor Tremaine Wright
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
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 Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 411 to read as follows:
§ 411. NYCHA-based health centers. 1. The department shall establish health centers on campuses for residents living on such campuses.
2. For purposes of this section:
(a) "campus" shall refer to an individual development owned by the New York city housing authority;
(b) "health center" shall mean an area located within a campus designated by the New York city housing authority for the purpose of providing basic health services, such area shall be located on the first floor in a designated community space accessible to all; and
(c) "basic health services" shall mean primary care and preventative health services, including prenatal care; screenings for vision, hearing, asthma, tuberculosis and other medical conditions as determined by the commissioner; medical care and treatment for illnesses, including the prescribing of medication; and specialty care and testing for lead poisoning and mold exposure, and specifically respiratory related illnesses.
3. The department shall provide the resources necessary to establish such health centers. Such resources shall include, but not be limited to, materials used to perform screenings and diagnostic blood tests, materials used to maintain a safe and sanitary health center, and personnel to provide primary health care services and assist in the 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
4. The department shall establish at least one health center at a campus within each borough in the city of New York. The location of such health centers shall be based on the need and reported health disparities within each borough.
5. The department shall allocate such resources in a manner determined by the department for the purposes of this section.
6. The department shall evaluate the effectiveness of such health centers and prepare a report on the performance of such health centers, the manner in which each health center's resources were allocated, the number of primary care visits, the number of persons tested for lead and respiratory illnesses, the frequency of such testing and the number of persons testing positively for lead poisoning and/or mold exposure, and the health outcomes and improvements associated with such individuals. Such performance report shall be delivered to the governor, the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly by December first, two thousand twenty-one, and every year thereafter.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately; provided that such health centers, as added by section one of this act, shall be established by the department of health no later than the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to creating NYCHA-based health centers
Purpose or general idea of bill
To establish health centers on campuses of NYCHA residential properties and offer basic health services and evaluate the effectiveness of these centers and submit a report by December 1, 2020 to the Governor, Tempo- rary President of the Senate and the Speaker of the Assembly.
Summary of provisions
Section 1: is amended by adding a new section 411 411. NYCHA based health centers. 1. The department shall establish health centers on campuses for residents living on such campuses.
Read the full memo (652 words)
2. For the purposes of this section:
a) "campus" shall mean individual residential development owned by NYCHA
b) "health center" shall mean an area designated by NYCHA for the purpose of providing basic health services
c) "basic health services" shall mean primary care, preventative health services, including prenatal care; screening for vision, hearing, asth- ma, TB and other medical conditions as determined by the commissioner; medical care and treatment for illnesses, including the prescribing of medication; and testing for lead poisoning and mold exposure.
3. The department shall provide the resources necessary to establish such health centers. Such resources shall include, but are not limited to, materials used to perform screenings and diagnostic blood tests, materials used to maintain a safe and sanitary health center, and personnel to provide primary health care services and assist in the administration of such health centers.
4. The department shall establish at least one health center at a campus within each borough in the city of New York. The location of such health centers shall be based on the need and reported health disparities with- in each borough.
5. The department shall allocate such resources in a manner determined by the department for the purposed of this section.
6. The department shall evaluate the effectiveness of such health centers and prepare a report on the performance of such health centers, the manner in which each health center's resources were allocated, the number of primary care visits, the number of persons tested for lead and respiratory illnesses, the frequency of such testing and the number of persons testing positively for lead poisoning and/or mold exposure, and the health outcomes and improvements associated with such individuals. Such performance report shall be delivered to the governor, the tempo- rary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly by December 1, 2020, and every year thereafter.
Justification
After over two decades of divestment, it has become apparent that the failure to maintain NYCHA property has resulted in a myriad of physical conditions which cause and promote illness. We recently learned that many of our NYCHA campuses have unacceptable levels of lead poisoning and that lead remediation was not performed as required. There are also alarmingly high rates of asthma and other respiratory illnesses due to dust, mold, rodent and other pest exposures. Infant development and maternal health lag behind other areas of the city.
It has been proven that greater access to healthcare improves outcomes for infants and mothers. The health, education and economic status of individuals that obtain regular healthcare is better than those who do not have access. Regular health access addresses immediate concerns and keeps disease at bay. Healthy children and families are the cornerstone of healthy communities.
This legislation will establish health centers on campuses of NYCHA residential properties and offer basic health services as well as special attention to lead poisoning and respiratory diseases. This is an easy step toward improving health outcomes.
Prior legislative history
2018:New A.10887 (Wright) Died in Committee
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
Unknown.
Effective date
Immediately; provided that such health centers, as added by section one of this act, shall be established by the department of health no later than one hundred eightieth day after it shall become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.