N.Y. Pub. Health Law § 207

§ 207. Health care and wellness education and outreach program. 1.\nThere is hereby created within the department the health care and\nwellness education and outreach program. The department may conduct\neducation and outreach programs for consumers, patients, educators,\nincluding but not limited to elementary and secondary school educators,\nand health care providers relating to any health care matters the\ncommissioner deems appropriate and:\n (a) Various health conditions, diseases and health care procedures and\ntreatment options, including but not limited to those for breast,\ncervical, colorectal, prostate, testicular, skin, and ovarian cancer,\nshaken baby syndrome, reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome and\npost-polio sequelae.\n (b) Recommended preventative and wellness practices and services,\nincluding evidence based age and gender appropriate testing and\nscreening exams and immunization schedules.\n (c) Lymphedema and lymphatic disease, an abnormal swelling of the\nextremities including the causes, symptoms of primary lymphedema,\nsecondary lymphedema and lymphatic disease, prevention, early diagnosis,\noptions for treatment and therapy, long-term chronic care issues, the\nvalue of early detection, possible options for treatment including their\nbenefits and risks, and other relevant information and the\nrecommendation that hospitals treating breast cancer patients implement\na lymphedema alert program by placing a bright pink wristband on the\npatient's affected arm. Links to national lymphedema and lymphatic\ndisease organizations shall be provided as part of the informational\nsummary and electronically through the department's websites.\n (d) The need and importance of organ and tissue donation, including\ninformation about being registered as an organ and tissue donor and\nexecuting documents of gift under article forty-three of this chapter.\n (e) The need and importance for consumers and patients to have an\nadvance directive, particularly a health care proxy, and the need and\nimportance for health care providers to play a leadership role in\ndiscussing end-of-life care preferences and values with patients and to\nprovide patients with health care proxy forms.\n (f) Uterine fibroids, an abnormal growth that occurs in the uterus,\nincluding the causes and symptoms of uterine fibroids, the value of\nearly detection, possible options for treatment including their benefits\nand risks, information on the elevated risk for minority women and other\nrelevant information.\n (g) Improving birth outcomes, including the importance of\npreconceptional care, early prenatal care, considerations of health\nrisks during pregnancy, considerations of benefits and risks of labor\nand delivery options including, but not limited to, vaginal and cesarean\nsection delivery, elective or repeat cesarean sections, and appropriate\nuse of drugs during delivery.\n (h) Palliative care options for patients with a terminal illness or\ncondition.\n (i) About the short term and long term adverse health risks to adults\nand children who become overweight, obese or underweight. The\ninformation shall include, but need not be limited to providing\ncitations to the department's website, as well as any other websites\nproviding information on the subject.\n * (j) Maternal depression, including information about education,\nscreening, referral services, and possible options for treatment.\n * NB Effective January 31, 2015\n * NB There are 2 par (j)'s\n * (j) The eating disorders awareness and prevention program shall be\ndesigned to promote the awareness of eating disorders and available\nservices, as well as to prevent and reduce the incidence and prevalence\nof eating disorders, especially among children and adolescents.\n * NB There are 2 par (j)'s\n 2. Programs under this section, dealing with one or more subjects, may\ninclude but not be limited to any of the following elements:\n (a) educational and informational materials in print, audio, visual,\nelectronic or other media;\n (b) public service announcements and advertisements; and\n (c) establishment of toll-free telephone hotlines and electronic\nservices to provide information.\n 3. The department may produce, make available to others for\nreproduction, or contract with others to develop such materials\nmentioned in this section as the commissioner deems appropriate. These\nmaterials shall be made available to the public and to educators,\nincluding but not limited to elementary and secondary school educators\nfree of charge as appropriate or for a fee under certain circumstances.\nThe commissioner may require where appropriate any health care provider\nto make these materials available to patients.\n 4. In exercising any of his or her powers under this section, the\ncommissioner may consult with appropriate health care professionals,\nproviders, consumers, educators and patients or organizations\nrepresenting them.\n 5. The commissioner shall ensure that all information and materials\nproduced pursuant to this section are maintained and updated to reflect\nbest practice recommendations.\n 6. The commissioner may appoint as appropriate advisory councils\nrelating to various matters that are or are proposed to be the subjects\nof programs under this section. All such councils shall include\nrepresentation of health care professionals, providers, educators,\nconsumers, patients and other appropriate interests. The members of the\ncouncils shall receive no compensation for their services, but shall be\nallowed their actual and necessary expenses incurred in performance of\ntheir duties.\n 7. In addition to state funds appropriated for programs under this\nsection, the commissioner may accept grants from public or private\nsources for these programs. The commissioner, in administering this\nsection, shall seek to coordinate the department's programs with other\npublic and private programs, and may undertake joint or cooperative\nprograms with other public or private entities.\n 8. The commissioner may make rules and regulations necessary and\nappropriate for implementation of this section.\n