N.Y. HHC Law § 2 — New York Code / Act HHC / Section 2
Declaration of policy and statement of purposes
Status: in_force

§ 2. Declaration of policy and statement of purposes. It is hereby\nfound, declared and determined that the provision and delivery of\ncomprehensive care and treatment of the ill and infirm, both physical\nand mental, are of vital and paramount concern and essential to the\nprotection and promotion of the health, safety and welfare of the\ninhabitants of the state of New York and the city of New York.\n  There are serious shortages in the number of personnel adequately\ntrained and qualified to provide the quality care and treatment needed.\nA myriad of complex and often deleterious constraints and restrictions\nplace a harmful burden on the delivery of such care and treatment.\nTechnological advances have been such that portions of the health and\nmedical services now delivered by the city are not as advanced as they\nshould be. A system permitting legal, financial and managerial\nflexibility is required for the provision and delivery of high quality,\ndignified and comprehensive care and treatment for the ill and infirm,\nparticularly to those who can least afford such services.\n  It is further found, declared and determined that hospitals and other\nhealth facilities of the city are of vital and paramount concern and\nessential in providing comprehensive care and treatment for the ill and\ninfirm, both physical and mental, and are thus vital to the protection\nand the promotion of the health, welfare and safety of the people of the\nstate of New York and the city of New York.\n  There are inadequate general and specialized health care facilities\nincluding but not limited to nursing homes and related laboratories and\nambulatory care clinics and centers and diagnostic treatment centers.\nThe inadequacy and shortage of health facilities derives from such\nfactors among others as the rapid technological changes and advances\ntaking place in the medical field. These changes and advances have\ncreated the need for substantial structural and functional changes in\nexisting facilities. Many of the health facilities of the city are\novercrowded. Buildings are deteriorating and many suffer harm as a\nresult of piecemeal and uncoordinated additions. The facilities\navailable for education, research and development are inadequate to meet\nthe demands of the medical field. Procedures inherent in the\nadministration of health and medical services as heretofore established\nobstruct and impair efficient operation of health and medical resources.\n  It is found, declared and determined that in order to accomplish the\npurposes herein recited, to provide the needed health and medical\nservices and health facilities, a public benefit corporation, to be\nknown as the New York City health and hospital corporation, should be\ncreated to provide such health and medical services and health\nfacilities and to otherwise carry out such purposes; that the creation\nand operation of the New York city health and hospitals corporation, as\nhereinafter provided, is in all respects for the benefit of the people\nof the state of New York and of the city of New York, and is a state,\ncity and public purpose; and that the exercise by such corporation of\nthe functions, powers and duties as hereinafter provided constitutes the\nperformance of an essential public and governmental function.\n