BILL NUMBER: S5969A
SPONSOR: HARCKHAM
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to medically fragile
young adults and pediatric specialized nursing facilities
 
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this bill is to amend the public health law by requiring
a consultation prior to the discharge of medically fragile young adults.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 adds section 2828 which requires the hospital to provide a
consultation with the patient and the parent or legal guardian of the
patient regarding such parent or legal guardian's capabilities and limi-
tations and issue a discharge plan. Said consultation must take place no
later than 24 hours before the patient's discharge and must meet the
minimum requirements set by this bill.
Section 1 also sets the requirements for the discharge plans which shall
offer parents and legal guardians instruction in all after-care tasks
described in the discharge plan and makes definitions.
Section 2 states effective date
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Medically fragile children require intense and specialized care. While
in 2021, a statute was enacted to allow for the construction of two new
facilities for the children aging out of the system at age 21. These
facilities are not yet operational, and they likely will not have the
capacity to serve all of the State's eligible population in any event.
This legislation would provide all medically fragile children who are
transitioning to care as young adults to continue to receive the
specialized care afforded them as children once they have attained the
age of twenty-one through the age of thirty-six. Currently there are six
specialized facilities in New York providing this care.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2022-2023: S5969/A3674 - Died in Health
2021-2022: S651A/S2557A - Died in Health
2019-2020: S7130/A10032 - Died in Health
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None to the State.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it
shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment
and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation