S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
3842
2009-2010 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
April 2, 2009
___________
Introduced by Sen. DUANE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to department of
health review of policies and practices in facilities operated by the
department of correctional services, and in local correctional facili-
ties regarding human immunodeficiency virus, acquired immunodeficiency
syndrome and hepatitis C
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 206 of the public health law is amended by adding a
new subdivision 26 to read as follows:
26. THE COMMISSIONER IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED TO REVIEW ANY
POLICY OR PRACTICE INSTITUTED IN FACILITIES OPERATED BY THE DEPARTMENT
OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES REGARDING HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS (HIV),
ACQUIRED IMMUNODEFICIENCY SYNDROME (AIDS), AND HEPATITIS C (HCV) INCLUD-
ING THE PREVENTION OF THE TRANSMISSION OF HIV AND HCV AND THE TREATMENT
OF AIDS, HIV AND HCV AMONG INMATES. SUCH REVIEW SHALL BE PERFORMED ANNU-
ALLY AND SHALL FOCUS ON WHETHER SUCH HIV, AIDS OR HCV POLICY OR PRACTICE
IS CONSISTENT WITH CURRENT, GENERALLY ACCEPTED MEDICAL STANDARDS AND
PROCEDURES USED TO PREVENT THE TRANSMISSION OF HIV AND HCV AND TO TREAT
AIDS, HIV AND HCV AMONG THE GENERAL PUBLIC. IN PERFORMING SUCH REVIEWS,
IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE QUALITY AND ADEQUACY OF CARE AND TREATMENT
PROVIDED, DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL ARE AUTHORIZED TO ENTER CORRECTIONAL
FACILITIES AND INSPECT POLICY AND PROCEDURE MANUALS AND MEDICAL PROTO-
COLS, INTERVIEW HEALTH SERVICES PROVIDERS AND INMATE-PATIENTS, REVIEW
MEDICAL GRIEVANCES, AND INSPECT A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF MEDICAL
RECORDS OF INMATES KNOWN TO BE INFECTED WITH HIV OR HCV OR HAVE AIDS.
PRIOR TO INITIATING A REVIEW OF A CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM, THE COMMISSIONER
SHALL INFORM THE PUBLIC, INCLUDING PATIENTS, THEIR FAMILIES AND PATIENT
ADVOCATES, OF THE SCHEDULED REVIEW AND INVITE THEM TO PROVIDE THE
COMMISSIONER WITH RELEVANT INFORMATION. UPON THE COMPLETION OF SUCH
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00355-01-9
S. 3842 2
REVIEW, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL, IN WRITING, APPROVE SUCH POLICY OR PRAC-
TICE AS INSTITUTED IN FACILITIES OPERATED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF CORREC-
TIONAL SERVICES OR, BASED ON SPECIFIC, WRITTEN RECOMMENDATIONS, DIRECT
THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES TO PREPARE AND IMPLEMENT A
CORRECTIVE PLAN TO ADDRESS DEFICIENCIES IN AREAS WHERE SUCH POLICY OR
PRACTICE FAILS TO CONFORM TO CURRENT, GENERALLY ACCEPTED MEDICAL STAND-
ARDS AND PROCEDURES. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL MONITOR THE IMPLEMENTATION
OF SUCH CORRECTIVE PLANS AND SHALL CONDUCT SUCH FURTHER REVIEWS AS THE
COMMISSIONER DEEMS NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT IDENTIFIED DEFICIENCIES IN
HIV, AIDS AND HCV POLICIES AND PRACTICES ARE CORRECTED. ALL WRITTEN
REPORTS PERTAINING TO REVIEWS PROVIDED FOR IN THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL BE
MAINTAINED, UNDER SUCH CONDITIONS AS THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PRESCRIBE,
AS PUBLIC INFORMATION AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION.
S 2. Subdivision 26 of section 206 of the public health law, as added
by section one of this act, is amended to read as follows:
26. The commissioner is hereby authorized and directed to review any
policy or practice instituted in facilities operated by the department
of correctional services, AND IN ALL LOCAL CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES, AS
DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION SIXTEEN OF SECTION TWO OF THE CORRECTION LAW,
regarding human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), acquired immunodeficiency
syndrome (AIDS), and hepatitis C (HCV) including the prevention of the
transmission of HIV and HCV and the treatment of AIDS, HIV and HCV among
inmates. Such review shall be performed annually and shall focus on
whether such HIV, AIDS or HCV policy or practice is consistent with
current, generally accepted medical standards and procedures used to
prevent the transmission of HIV and HCV and to treat AIDS, HIV and HCV
among the general public. In performing such reviews, in order to deter-
mine the quality and adequacy of care and treatment provided, department
personnel are authorized to enter correctional facilities and inspect
policy and procedure manuals and medical protocols, interview health
services providers and inmate-patients, review medical grievances, and
inspect a representative sample of medical records of inmates known to
be infected with HIV or HCV or have AIDS. Prior to initiating a review
of a correctional system, the commissioner shall inform the public,
including patients, their families and patient advocates, of the sched-
uled review and invite them to provide the commissioner with relevant
information. Upon the completion of such review, the department shall,
in writing, approve such policy or practice as instituted in facilities
operated by the department of correctional services, AND IN ANY LOCAL
CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, or, based on specific, written recommendations,
direct the department of correctional services, OR THE AUTHORITY RESPON-
SIBLE FOR THE PROVISION OF MEDICAL CARE TO INMATES IN LOCAL CORRECTIONAL
FACILITIES to prepare and implement a corrective plan to address defi-
ciencies in areas where such policy or practice fails to conform to
current, generally accepted medical standards and procedures. The
commissioner shall monitor the implementation of such corrective plans
and shall conduct such further reviews as the commissioner deems neces-
sary to ensure that identified deficiencies in HIV, AIDS and HCV poli-
cies and practices are corrected. All written reports pertaining to
reviews provided for in this subdivision shall be maintained, under such
conditions as the commissioner shall prescribe, as public information
available for public inspection.
S 3. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however that
the amendments to subdivision 26 of section 206 of the public health law
made by section two of this act shall take effect two years after this
act shall have become a law.