2023 New York Laws › PBH - Public Health › Article 2 - The Department of Health › Title 2-F - Office of Health Equity › 243*2 - Health Equity Council.

* § 243. Health equity council. 1. Appointment of members. There shall
be established in the office of health equity a health equity council to
consist  of the commissioner and fourteen members to be appointed by the
governor with the advice and consent of the senate.  Membership  on  the
council  shall  be reflective of the diversity of the state's population
including, but not  limited  to,  the  various  underserved  populations
throughout the state.
2.  Terms  of  office; vacancies. a. Unless specified otherwise in the
bylaws of the health equity council, the terms of office of  members  of
the  health  equity  council  may be up to six years. The members of the
health equity council shall continue in office until the  expiration  of
their terms and until their successors are appointed and have qualified.
Such  appointments  shall  be  made by the governor, with the advice and
consent of the senate, within one year following the expiration of  such
terms.
b.  Vacancies  shall  be filled by appointment by the governor for the
unexpired terms within one year of the date upon  which  such  vacancies
occur. Any vacancy existing on the effective date of paragraph c of this
subdivision  shall  be  filled  by  appointment  within one year of such
effective date.
c. In making appointments to the council, the governor shall  seek  to
ensure  that  membership  on  the  council reflects the diversity of the
state's population including, but not limited to the various underserved
populations throughout the state.
3. Meetings. a. The health equity council shall meet as frequently  as
its business may require, and at least twice in each year.
b.  The  governor  shall  designate  one  of the members of the public
health and health planning council as its chair.
c. A majority of the appointed voting membership of the health  equity
council shall constitute a quorum.
4.  Compensation  and expenses. The members of the council shall serve
without compensation other than reimbursement of  actual  and  necessary
expenses.
5.  Powers and duties. The health equity council shall, at the request
of the commissioner, consider any matter relating  to  the  preservation
and   improvement   of  health  status  among  the  state's  underserved
populations, and may advise  the  commissioner  on  any  recommendations
relating to the preservation and improvement of health equity.
6.  Sickle  cell disease. a. The health equity council shall consider,
and advise the commissioner regarding sickle cell disease.
b. The council shall issue  recommendations  to  the  commissioner  to
promote screening and detection of sickle cell disease, especially among
unserved  or  underserved  populations;  to educate the public regarding
sickle cell disease and the benefits of early detection; and to  provide
counseling  and  referral  services.  For  purposes of this subdivision,
"unserved or underserved populations"  means  people  having  inadequate
access  and  financial resources to obtain sickle cell disease screening
and detection services, including people who  lack  health  coverage  or
whose  health  coverage  is  inadequate or who cannot meet the financial
requirements of their coverage for accessing detection services.
c. The council shall consider the feasibility of the following:
(i) the establishment of a statewide  public  education  and  outreach
campaign  to  publicize  evidence  based  sickle cell disease screening,
detection and education services. The campaign  shall  include:  general
community  education,  outreach  to  specific  underserved  populations,
evidence based clinical sickle cell disease screening services,  and  an
informational   summary   that  shall  include  an  explanation  of  the

importance of clinical examinations and what to expect  during  clinical
examinations and sickle cell disease screening services;
(ii) the provision of grants to approved organizations;
(iii)  the  compilation  of  data  concerning  sickle cell disease and
dissemination of such data to the public; and
(iv) the development of health care  professional  education  programs
including  the  benefits  of  early detection of sickle cell disease and
clinical   examinations,   the   recommended   frequency   of   clinical
examinations   and   sickle   cell   disease   screening  services,  and
professionally recognized best practices guidelines.
* NB There are 2 § 243's