What's happening
This bill creates a four-year pilot program establishing infant recovery centers for babies suffering from drug withdrawal in New York.
Why it matters
Targets a vulnerable population. The program specifically addresses the needs of infants under one year old suffering from drug withdrawal due to in utero exposure, aiming to improve outcomes for babies impacted by the opioid crisis and other substance use disorders.
Aims to provide better, more cost-effective care. By establishing specialized centers outside of traditional hospital settings, the law seeks to offer more appropriate environments and reduce the financial and resource burden on hospitals—potentially leading to improved health outcomes and system-wide savings.
Supports families beyond initial treatment. The centers are required to offer ongoing support and services to parents even after the infant leaves the facility, recognizing that family stability and education are critical for long-term recovery and child well-being.
Includes oversight and accountability. The law mandates regular monitoring and reporting to the legislature on the effectiveness and quality of the centers, ensuring transparency and providing data to inform future policy decisions regarding care for drug-exposed infants.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Open Infant Recovery Centers
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to health
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 61–0
- Ordered to third reading cal.321
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
- Reported and committed to finance
- Referred to health
- Returned to senate
- Died in assembly
- Referred to health
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 62–0
Show 4 earlier actions
- Ordered to third reading cal.1326
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
- Reported and committed to finance
- 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.
Open Infant Recovery Centers
In Assembly Committee · Health · Sponsor Aravella Simotas
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5480
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 2, 2019
Introduced by Sen. RIVERA -- 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 establishing the infant recovery centers pilot program; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Title 1 of article 25 of the public health law is amended by adding a new section 2509 to read as follows:
§ 2509. Infant recovery centers pilot program. There shall be established an infant recovery centers pilot program whereby the commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of alcohol and substance abuse services, shall establish at least four infant recovery centers in areas of need in the state. Such centers shall provide cost effective, necessary services and enhance the quality of care for targeted populations in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of such program. Eligible infants shall be under one year of age and suffer from withdrawal resulting from in utero exposure to drugs. Such infant withdrawal may be the result of conditions including, but not limited to, neonatal abstinence syndrome. The program shall provide more appropriate settings and cost effective care for these infants than hospitals, while also providing supports and services to parents preparing to bring their infants home. Access to such supports shall continue for a period after the infant has left a center.
The department shall be responsible for monitoring the quality, appropriateness and effectiveness of the centers and shall report to the legislature within one year of the establishment of the infant recovery centers and again within two years of the effective date of this section on the program's effectiveness.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately, and shall expire and be deemed repealed 4 years after such date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01559-01-9
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 establishing the infant recovery centers pilot program; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
Purpose
To require the Department of Health in conjunction with the Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services to establish a pilot program of infant recovery centers for infants experiencing opioid or other drug withdrawal symptoms.
Summary of provisions
Section 1. Amends section 2500 of the Public Health law to direct the Department of Health to establish a pilot program of infant recovery, centers for infants experiencing drug withdrawal symptoms. The bill also directs the Department to report to the Legislature on the program and pilots.
Read the full memo (704 words)
Section 2. Provides an immediate effective date and has the program sunset in four years so that it can be evaluated and updated if neces- sary.
Justification
One aspect of the nation's opioid abuse is, the number of babies born with severe withdrawal symptoms. Hospitals are scrambling to find ways to care for the burgeoning population of drug addicted newborns. The result is symptoms consistent with withdrawal, acute toxicity or sustained signs consistent with a lasting drug effect. This is known as neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). These babies require specialized care and are often treated in new born intensive care units with an estimated cost of $66,700 per infant. Hospital diversion programs for these infants can provide less costly and more focused care for newborns and their parents.
Nationwide, it is estimated the number of pregnant woman using heroin, prescription opioids or addiction treatment medications either methadone or buprenorphine has increased fivefold since 2000. This act directs the Department of Health, in consultation with the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services, 'to establish pilot infant recovery centers outside of the hospital where newborns can withdraw and recover from NAS and other symptoms of addiction as as it is safe for them to leave the hospital. At the recovery centers, infants would receive the same kind of medical treatment for their withdrawal symptoms as they would in the hospital while simultaneously being provided a better, cost efficient help for newborns through the painful, weeks long process of drug with- drawal.
In Huntington, West Virginia, it was reported that in 2010, babies born to mothers using heroin were filling up so many beds in the newborn intensive care unit at the city's main hospital that little space was left for babies with other life-threatening conditions. As a result, by 2012, Lily's Place, an infant recovery center outside of the hospital was created where the newborns could be taken as soon as it was safe for them to leave the hospital. Lily's Place, staffed by the same doctor and team of nurses who treat drug exposed babies in those hospital, plus a social worker and adminis- trative staff, is a transitional care center where parents can visit their babies throughout the day and occasionally stay overnight before taking them home. Lily's Place has become a model for communities in the rest of the country that are experiencing the same kind of growth in drug exposed newborns as Huntington. The cost of caring for a drug exposed newborn in a hospital is nearly 20 times the cost of hospital care for a healthy infant, whereas the cost of caring for newborns at Lily's Place is one-fifth the daily rate of a hospital intensive care unit.
As part of the New York State budget adopted in April 2018, the Senate added $350,000 to support up to four infant recovery centers. This legislation supports that appropriation and insurers New York moves forward.
Legislative history
S 2815 passed senate in 2017 and appropriation added for such a program as part of the enacted 2018-19 budget
Fiscal implications
Savings to state as addicted infants receive needed care in less costly setting than hospitals, and mothers receive support that can help foster healthy babies and families. Funding was added by the Senate to the enacted budget in 2018-19 for $350 million to establish up to 4 infant recovery programs.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately, and shall expire and be deemed repealed 4 years after such date.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.