5/24/2022: NYSPHA signed on to a letter to the New York State Legislature in support of S.75-A (Hoylman) / A.279-A (Gottfried) for universal vaccine reporting to the statewide and New York City vaccine registries. Click here to read the letter.

5/12/22. NYSPHA PAC Chair Gus Birkhead was interviewed on the NPR Capitol Pressroom radio show about the Let's Get Immunized NY Campaign that NYSPHA co-sponsors.  Click here to listen to the interview.  Gus was also quoted in an LGINY press release on the same topic on May 4, 2022. Click here to read the press release.  

5/9/22.  NYSPHA was listed as a supporter in a press release by the End Medical Debt Coalition calling upon the Senate to pass Senate bill S.6522A, which protects patients from liens against their primary residence and wage garnishment due to money judgments arising from debt collection actions by hospitals or health care professionals.  The accompanying Assembly bill A.7363A passed that chamber on March 23rd. Click <here> to read the document.

5/9/22  NYSPHA signed on to a letter to the Governor and legislative leaders in support of the All-Electric Building Act (S6843A|A8431).  Click <here> to read the letter.

5/5/22.  NYSPHA signed on to a letter sponsored by the Primary Care Development Corporation in support of A7230/S6534, which establishes the primary care reform commission to review, examine, and make findings on the level of primary care spending by all payers with the goal of increasing support for primary care in New York. Click <here> to read the document.

4/16/22.  Signed on to a letter to Governor Hochul and NYS legislative leaders in honor of Earth Day advocating passage of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). Click <here> to read the document.

4/2/22 Signed on to letter coordinated by the Community Service Society for the #EndMedicalDebt campaign. Click <here> to read the document.

 3/17/22 Signed on to a letter of support written by the New York School Nutrition Association for including Free Healthy School Meals for All in the final State Budget.  Click <here> to read the document.

3/8//2022 - NYSPHA signed a letter sponsored by the American Cancer Society to the New York Legislative leaders in support of the Colorectal Cancer Screening Cost Sharing Removal Act (S906-Sanders / A2085-A Dinowitz) to improve access to colorectal cancer screening. Click <here> to read the letter. 

3/8/2022 - NYSPHA signed on to a letter on cancer screening by the American Cancer Society to request that the New York State Assembly include language in the Assembly one-house budget bill that would ensure colorectal cancer screening coverage for those average-risk populations starting at age 45, and ensure that state regulated insurance plans, including Medicaid, cover, with no cost-sharing, follow-up colonoscopies after a positive non-invasive stool test.  Click <here> to read the letter.

3/8/22 - NYSPHA Board and PAC member Andréa Sonenberg published a commentary in the Albany Times Union promoting the Clinical Preceptor Tax Credit Act (S.4229/A.285).  Click <here> to read the commentary. 

2/18/2022 -  NYSPHA signed on to a letter to Governor Hochel from the Harm Reduction Association asking her to approve overdose prevention centers throughout New York State.  Click <here> to read the letter.

2/18/2022 - NYSPHA signed on to a letter of support for the Gas Transition and Affordable Energy Act.  The Act ensures that gas utilities comply with the climate justice and emissions mandates of the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) while improving affordable access to heating, cooling, and other necessary services.  Click <here> to read the letter.  

2/16/2022 - NYSPHA signed on to a letter by the New York State Association for Rural Health urging the NYS legislative leaders to restore funding for the Rural Health Network Development Program and the Rural Health Care Access Development Program in the State budget.  Click <here> to read the letter.

2/16/2022 - NYSPHA endorsed the Ain't I a Woman campaign. The campaign opposes the current, legal, and state-sanctioned use of 24-hour workdays (with 13hours of pay) for home health aides (HHAs) which is discriminatory and results in poor care.  Click <here> to read the endorsement 

2/9/2022 - NYSPHA President Denise Tahara wrote to the NYS Senate and Assembly leaders urging them to include #Coverage4All in the One House State budgets (A.880A/S.1572). This would create a state-funded Essential Plan, providing access to health insurance for income-eligible New Yorkers who are currently excluded simply because of their immigration status.   Click <here> to read the letter.

1/18/2022 - NYSPHA signed on to a letter sent by the NYC Food Policy Alliance to Governor Hochul on budgetary issues related to food policy.  Click <here> to read the letter.

1/2/2022 - NYSPHA President Denise Tahara is quoted in a press release supporting the "Prepare Act" to adequately and sustainably fund New York's Public Health System. Click <here> to read press release.

12/3/2021 - NYSPHA signed on to a letter to New York Governor Hochul to address child hunger.  The letter asked her to take action in the FY 2023 Executive Budget to include Healthy School Meals for All NY Kids. This would ensure that every K-12 student in New York has equal access to a nutritious breakfast and lunch at school to support their health and academic success.  Click <here> to read the letter.

11/19/2021 - NYSPHA signed on to a letter to New York Governor Kathy Hochul.  The letter urges the Governor to  sign and enact the Child Poverty Reduction Act, S.2755C/A.1160C.  The bill makes a public commitment to cutting child poverty in half in ten years; requires an annual public report of the effects of budget proposals on child poverty and regular reporting on progress; and establishes the Child Poverty Reduction Advisory Council to develop a plan to achieve the goal.  Click <here> to read the letter. 

11/17/2021 - NYSPHA signed on to a letter to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation providing comments on the proposed Advanced Clean Truck ("ACT") emissions rules.  Click <here> to read the letter.  

11/08/2021 - NYSPHA sent a letter to New York City Mayor-Elect Eric Adams. The letter congratulates Mr. Adams on his election and provides NYSPHA's recommendations for addressing health equity and supporting the public health infrastructure in New York City. Click <here> to read the letter. (PDF attached).

10/20/2021 - NYSPHA signed on to a letter to Governor Hochul from the Alliance for a Green Economy and others urging her to make a massive investment in better buildings in New York, starting in disadvantaged urban and rural communities, where buildings are the least efficient and costs are highest. Better buildings means housing that is affordable, free of indoor pollution, and environmentally sustainable. It means workplaces and schools that are comfortable, healthy, and sustainable.  Better buildings should contribute to resilient communities where the rights of tenants and  undocumented residents are protected, and where generational wealth can be built by Black and sBrown households. Click <here> to read the letter. (PDF attached).

10/13/2021 – NYSPHA was quoted in a press release, issued today by the Capital District Tobacco-Free Communities, supporting  the annual “Seen Enough Tobacco Day”, which highlights how the tobacco industry markets their products to kids.  The theme this year is on banning menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, cigarillos, and smokeless tobacco products.  Click <here> to read the press release. (PDF attached).

10/06/2021 – NYSPHA Signed on to a letter to Gov. Hochul asking her to sign a bill passed by the legislature to protect Medicaid recipient access to local pharmacy services (S.6603, Skoufis/ A.7598, Gottfried).  Click <here> to read the letter. (PDF attached).

9/18/2021 – The NYSPHA sent a letter to Gov. Hochul urging her to sign a bill passed by the legislature authorizing pharmacists to provide all ACIP-recommended vaccines to adults (A.6476A/S.4807A).  Click <here> to read the letter.  (PDF attached)

8/29/2021 – NYSPHA sent a letter to Governor Hochul with our recommendations for implementing the Adult Use Cannabis program. The recommendations including using a public health approach to program implementation and appointing people with public health background to oversee and operate the program.  Click <here> to read the letter (PDF attached)

8/27/2021 – NYSPHA signed on to a letter to Governor Hochul urging adoption of Advance Clean Truck emissions rules.  Click <here> to read the letter (PDF attached)