BILL NUMBER: S1987
SPONSOR: HARCKHAM
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to requiring hospi-
tals to provide medically supervised detoxification services
 
PURPOSE:
Requires hospitals to provide medically supervised detoxification
services
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 states that hospitals must provide medically supervised detox-
ification services to all patients requiring such services. In the event
that the hospital is at ninety percent capacity or greater, the hospital
must connect the patient to an alternative facility within their network
to access such medically supervised detoxification services without any
increased risk to the health or life of the patient. It also amends
subdivision 2 of section 2803-u of the public health law to provide
penalties for a violation of section 1 of this bill, including a penalty
not exceeding one thousand dollars for each offense.
Section 2 states the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
At the onset of the pandemic, hospital bed capacity was of grave concern
to New York- as many were unsure if our hospital system was going to be
overloaded by people impacted by the virus.
During this time many hospitals turned away individuals looking to enter
medically supervised detoxification treatment. As New Yorker's flattened
the curve, and the need for hospital beds was no longer as dire- hospi-
tals continued to deny care to those suffering with substance use disor-
der.
Now some hospitals are claiming that they have changed their infrastruc-
ture and are no longer set up to care for individuals in need of
medically supervised detox. New York must send a clear signal that this
practice is unacceptable- the needs of individuals suffering with
substance use disorder can be just as medically necessary, and their
lives are equally valuable.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-2024: S2700/A4316 - Died in Health
2021-2022: S5121/A7376 - Died in Health
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None to the State.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have
become a law.