BILL NUMBER: S1409

SPONSOR: RIVERA
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to establishing the
infant recovery centers pilot program; and providing for the repeal of
such provisions upon expiration thereof

 
PURPOSE:

To require the Department of Health in conjunction with the Office of
Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services to establish a pilot program of
infant recovery centers for infants experiencing opioid or other drug
withdrawal symptoms.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1. Amends section 2500 of the Public Health law to direct the
Department of Health to establish a pilot program of infant recovery,
centers for infants experiencing drug withdrawal symptoms. The bill also
              

directs the Department to report to the Legislature on the program and
pilots.

Section 2. Provides an immediate effective date and has the program
sunset in four years so that it can be evaluated and updated if neces-
sary.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

One aspect of the nation's opioid abuse is the number of babies born
with severe withdrawal symptoms. Hospitals are scrambling to find ways
to care for the burgeoning population of drug addicted newborns.  The
result is symptoms consistent with withdrawal, acute toxicity or
sustained signs consistent with a lasting drug effect. This is known as
neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). These babies require specialized
care and are often treated in newborn intensive care units with an esti-
mated cost of $66,700 per infant. Hospital diversion programs for these
infants can provide less costly and more focused care for newborns and
their parents.

Nationwide, it is estimated the number of pregnant woman using heroin,
prescription opioids, or addiction treatment medications either metha-
done or buprenorphine has increased fivefold since 2000. This act
directs the Department of Health, in consultation with the Office of
Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services to establish pilot infant recov-
ery centers outside of the hospital where newborns can withdraw and
recover from NAS and other symptoms of addiction as as it is safe for
them to leave the hospital. At the recovery centers, infants would
receive the same kind of medical treatment for their withdrawal symptoms
as they would in the hospital while simultaneously being provided a
better, cost efficient help for newborns through the painful, weeks long
process of drug withdrawal.

In Huntington, West Virginia, it was reported that in 2010, babies born
to mothers using heroin were filling up so many beds in the newborn
intensive care unit at the city's main hospital that little space was
left for babies with other life-threatening conditions. As a result, by
2012, Lily's Place, an infant recovery center outside of the hospital
was created where the newborns could be taken as soon as it was safe for
them to leave the hospital. Lily's Place is staffed by the same doctor
and team of nurses who treat drug exposed babies in those hospitals,
plus a social worker and adminis- trative staff and is a transitional
care center where parents can visit their babies throughout the day and
occasionally stay overnight before taking them home. Lily's Place has
become a model for communities in the rest of the country that are expe-
riencing the same kind of growth in drug exposed newborns as Huntington.
The cost of caring for a drug exposed newborn in a hospital is nearly 20
times the cost of hospital care for a healthy infant, whereas the cost
of caring for newborns at Lily's Place is one-fifth the daily rate of a
hospital intensive care unit.

As part of the New York State budget adopted in April 2018, the Senate
added $350,000 to support up to four infant recovery centers. This
legislation supports that appropriation and insures New York moves
forward.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2017-2018: S2815 Hannon/A7913A Simotas - passed Senate in 2017 and
appropriation added for such a program as part of the enacted 2018-19
budget.
2019-2020: S5480/A11141 Simotas - Passed Senate

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Savings to state as addicted infants receive needed care in less costly
setting than hospitals, and mothers receive support that can help foster
healthy babies and families. Funding was added by the Senate to the
enacted budget in 2018-19 for $350 million to establish up to 4 infant
recovery programs.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately, and shall expire and be deemed
repealed 4 years after such date.

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S1409A

SPONSOR: RIVERA
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to establishing the
infant recovery centers pilot program; and providing for the repeal of
such provisions upon expiration thereof

 
PURPOSE:

To require the Department of Health in conjunction with the Office of
Addiction Services and Supports to establish a pilot program of infant
recovery centers for infants experiencing opioid or other drug with-
drawal symptoms.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1. Amends section 2500 of the Public Health law to direct the
Department of Health to establish a pilot program of infant recovery,
centers for infants experiencing drug withdrawal symptoms. The bill also
directs the Department to report to the Legislature on the program and
              

pilots.

Section 2. Provides an immediate effective date and has the program
sunset in four years so that it can be evaluated and updated if neces-
sary.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

One aspect of the nation's opioid abuse is the number of babies born
with severe withdrawal symptoms. Hospitals are scrambling to find ways
to care for the burgeoning population of drug addicted newborns.  The
result is symptoms consistent with withdrawal, acute toxicity or
sustained signs consistent with a lasting drug effect. This is known as
neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). These babies require specialized
care and are often treated in newborn intensive care units with an esti-
mated cost of $66,700 per infant. Hospital diversion programs  for these
infants can provide less costly and more focused care for newborns and
their parents.

Nationwide, it is estimated the number of pregnant woman using heroin,
prescription opioids, or addiction treatment medications either metha-
done or buprenorphine has increased fivefold since 2000. This act
directs the Department of Health, in consultation with the Office of
Addiction Services and Supports to establish pilot infant recovery
centers outside of the hospital where newborns can withdraw and recover
from NAS and other symptoms of addiction as as it is safe for them to
leave the hospital. At the recovery centers, infants would receive the
same kind of medical treatment for their withdrawal symptoms as they
would in the hospital while simultaneously being provided a better, cost
efficient help for newborns through the painful, weeks long process of
drug withdrawal.

In Huntington, West Virginia, it was reported that in 2010, babies born
to mothers using heroin were filling up so many beds in the newborn
intensive care unit at the city's main hospital that little space was
left for babies with other life-threatening conditions. As a result, by
2012, Lily's Place, an infant recovery center outside of the hospital
was created where the newborns could be taken as soon as it was safe for
them to leave the hospital. Lily's Place is staffed by the same doctor
and team of nurses who treat drug exposed babies in those hospitals,
plus a social worker and administrative staff and is a transitional care
center where parents can visit their babies throughout the day and occa-
sionally stay overnight before taking them home. Lily's Place has become
a model for communities in the rest of the country that are expe- rienc-
ing the same kind of growth in drug exposed newborns as Huntington.  The
cost of caring for a drug exposed newborn in a hospital is nearly 20
times the cost of hospital care for a healthy infant, whereas the cost
of caring for newborns at Lily's Place is one-fifth the daily rate of a
hospital intensive care unit.

As part of the New York State budget adopted in April 2018, the Senate
added $350,000 to support up to four infant recovery centers. This
legislation supports that appropriation and insures New York moves
forward.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2017-2018: S2815 Hannon/A7913A Simotas - passed Senate in 2017 and
appropriation added for such a program as part of the enacted 2018-19
budget.

2019-2020: S5480/A11141 Simotas - Passed Senate

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Savings to state as addicted infants receive needed care in less costly
setting than hospitals, and mothers receive support that can help foster
healthy babies and families. Funding was added by the Senate to the
enacted budget in 2018-19 for $350 million to establish up to 4 infant
recovery programs.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately, and shall expire and be deemed
repealed 4 years after such date.