Policy

Policy

In New York, Narcan is becoming a household name

Lawmakers have worked to increase access to the opioid overdose reversal drug as thousands continue to die every year from overdoses.

Policy

Policy

More mental health crisis respite centers, in NYC Council plan

Mayor Eric Adams has his own mental health plan, but the council plans to push its priorities in the budget.

Policy

Policy

NYC health chief warns of “shorter, less healthy lives” without action

A recent report found that average life expectancy declined 4.6 years between 2019 and 2020. But Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan said that COVID-19 wasn’t the only driver of those lost years.

Heard Around Town

Politics

Home care workers target Adrienne Adams

The council has not moved on a bill that would ban 24-hour work days, amid oppositions from New Yorkers with disabilities and 1199 SEIU.

Policy

Policy

‘Not in New York, not now – not ever.’ Hochul announces abortion pill stockpile after Texas ruling

After the Texas ruling to stop the use of mifepristone sent shockwaves across the nation, the governor joined Planned Parenthood to announce a stockpile of another abortion drug in the state.

Opinion

Opinion

Opinion: Mental health emergencies deserve compassion, not criminalization

This year’s state budget must include funding for a pilot program that sends trained counselors, not armed police officers, to respond to mental health crises.

Opinion

Opinion

Opinion: Why New York deserves a reproductive healthcare services training and education grant program

Including $6 to 8 million in the final state budget for such an effort will ensure that medical interns and residents are properly trained in medical and surgical abortion procedures.

Heard Around Town

Personality

Addiction-focused health commissioner still needs to talk to Hochul about overdoses

Acting Health Commissioner James McDonald is poised to take over permanently and has a history in overseeing controversial supervised injection sites.

Opinion

Opinion

Opinion: New York must invest in training nursing assistants

We need to scale an equity-focused model to address New York’s senior care staffing crisis

Politics

Politics

1199 fills 17K-seat arena for budget rally in Albany

Health care workers called for higher reimbursement rates and funding for safety net hospitals – while rapping with hip hop legends.

Policy

Policy

Dozens of free mobile COVID-19 testing sites to close

New York City Health + Hospitals said they are “rightsizing” their mobile Test to Treat units amid low levels of COVID-19 transmission.

Health Care

Policy

NY Senate considers doula support to improve birth outcomes

The professional birth care providers testified about how they can be empowered to help more women in New York.

Health Care

Opinion

Opinion: Medicaid prescription changes threaten patients and safety net providers

The federal 340B drug pricing program that serves low-income and underserved patients is about to be stripped of funding which may reduce STD and COVID-19 treatment services in New York.

New York State

Policy

After three years, New York’s fight against COVID-19 slows down

There are still testing sites and information hotlines, but the era of mandates is over.

Policy

Policy

America’s teens are in a mental health crisis. So are New York’s.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced a sweeping mental health plan that includes a suicide prevention pilot for New York City youth.

Health Care

Policy

Will Hochul come around on supervised injection sites?

The governor didn’t talk much about addiction services in her State of the State, but advocates are pushing her to allow more facilities for medically supervised injection of illegal drugs.