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.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A5017
SPONSOR: Zinerman 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.
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 he 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:
2023-2024: A1888 (Zinerman) Died in Committee
2021-2022: A6090 (Zinerman) Died in Committee
2019-2020: A4640 (Wright) Died in Committee
2018 New A.10887 (Wright) Died in Committee
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined.
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.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
5017
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 10, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ZINERMAN, BURDICK, SIMON -- read once and
referred 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 no
5 later than one hundred eighty days after the effective date of this
6 section.
7 2. For purposes of this section:
8 (a) "campus" shall refer to an individual development owned by the New
9 York city housing authority;
10 (b) "health center" shall mean an area located within a campus desig-
11 nated by the New York city housing authority for the purpose of provid-
12 ing basic health services, such area shall be located on the first floor
13 in a designated community space accessible to all; and
14 (c) "basic health services" shall mean primary care and preventative
15 health services, including prenatal care; screenings for vision, hear-
16 ing, asthma, tuberculosis and other medical conditions as determined by
17 the commissioner; medical care and treatment for illnesses, including
18 the prescribing of medication; and specialty care and testing for lead
19 poisoning and mold exposure, and specifically respiratory related
20 illnesses.
21 3. The department shall provide the resources necessary to establish
22 such health centers. Such resources shall include, but not be limited
23 to, materials used to perform screenings and diagnostic blood tests,
24 materials used to maintain a safe and sanitary health center, and
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05999-01-5
A. 5017 2
1 personnel to provide primary health care services and assist in the
2 administration of such health centers.
3 4. The department shall establish at least one health center at a
4 campus within each borough in the city of New York. The location of such
5 health centers shall be based on the need and reported health dispari-
6 ties within each borough.
7 5. The department shall allocate such resources in a manner determined
8 by the department for the purposes of this section.
9 6. The department shall evaluate the effectiveness of such health
10 centers and prepare a report on the performance of such health centers,
11 the manner in which each health center's resources were allocated, the
12 number of primary care visits, the number of persons tested for lead and
13 respiratory illnesses, the frequency of such testing and the number of
14 persons testing positively for lead poisoning and/or mold exposure, and
15 the health outcomes and improvements associated with such individuals.
16 Such performance report shall be delivered to the governor, the tempo-
17 rary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly by December
18 first, two thousand twenty-seven, and every year thereafter.
19 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
