By By State Senator Velmanette Montgomery
I am grateful for the commitment of the New York State Commissioner of Health, Richard Daines, to reform the health care system. The system is already in the process of being improved by simplification of Medicaid enrollment, expansion of Family Health Plus — to allow employers to participate — and the proposal to expand eligibility under Child Health Plus to 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. However, I would urge respectfully, that the commissioners of the Departments of Health and of Insurance, as part of the development of a universal health care delivery system, address and include access to appropriate care for teenagers. There is a glaring lack of access to health care for adolescents between the ages of 10 to 18. When planning for this group, the following aspects of teen behavior must be considered. · Teens are not mobile. That is, they are not likely to travel long distances away from school and home to seek health care independently. · Teens have little access to information that is non commercial, and unbiased as it relates to health, sex, education, nutrition, and mental health. · Teens are acutely sensitive to the possibility of being stigmatized. In order to address this population I have proposed a “Teen Health Agenda,” which includes three specific actions. I am joined by the Senate Democratic Women’s Caucus to promote this agenda. · Enact legislation I have introduced (S6205) that mandates the teaching of comprehensive, age appropriate, medically accurate sex education in grades 1-12 in public schools and charter schools. · Increase state funding for school-based health centers statewide to provide health and mental health services to adolescents; · Enact the “Healthy Teens Act” (A2856/S1342) in New York and the Federal Responsible Education About Life (REAL) Act to fund the teaching of comprehensive sexuality education. Health care providers in School Based Health Centers (SBHC) report that two-thirds of the cost of operation is education, prevention and mental health counseling. The other third is actual or direct care and treatment. Repeated studies have shown that SBHC’s improve the health and mental health of children, prevent unnecessary hospitalizations, reduce emergency room visits, improve school attendance and avoid lost work days for parents. Montefiore Hospital found that Emergency Room use and hospitalizations were reduced by half for asthmatic students attending their School Based Health Clinic. SBHC’s also help reduce teen pregnancy and prevent sexually transmitted diseases, provide competent sex education, which is medically accurate and age appropriate. Given that fact, the cost savings for the future are enormous. This year, the priorities for the NY State Coalition for School-Based Health Care Centers are: · Medicaid reimbursement for mental health. (Studies show that adolescents with access to SBHC are more likely to seek out help and have improved outcomes). · The legislature continue the Health Care Reform Act (HCRA) funding of $10.5 million in the State Budget and; · Restore $ 675,000that the legislature added last year, for a total of $16,500,000. · Add $5 million to expand in areas where there is a great need. In one upstate community alone school administrators are seeking 14 new sites. The need is as great in suburban and urban areas. I urge everyone to contact Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and urge support for School Based Health Centers by calling 212-312-1420 or 518-455-3791; Assemblyman Richard Gottfried, Chair of the Health Committee at 212-807-7900 or 518-455-4941; and Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith at 718-528-4290 or 518-455-2701. Velmanette Montgomery is a state senator representing District 18 of the New York State Senate, comprised of Fort Greene, Boerum Hill, Red Hook, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Sunset Park and Park Slope.
