Senator Brouk, BPHA Caucus Focus on Strengthening Black Families During Black History Month

ALBANY, NY - Senator Samra G. Brouk stood with members of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus at the State Capitol this week to discuss an Agenda to uplift and improve disparate health outcomes among Black families in New York State. Senator Brouk discussed her package of bills addressing the maternal mental health needs of New York’s mothers as part of the Caucus’ 2022 Legislative Agenda. 

Members of the Caucus also discussed increasing community investment, reforming the criminal justice system and delivering environmental justice in our urban and rural communities. 

In addition to these measures, the Senate recently passed Senator Brouk’s legislation to create a Black Youth suicide prevention task force. As with maternal mental health conditions, the rate of occurrence for youth suicide is significantly higher for people of color. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conduct a Youth Risk Behavior Survey annually. From 1997 to 2019, the number of Black high school students who reported attempting suicide at least once within the prior year increased by 8.8 percent in New York State, while the percentage of white respondents reporting a suicide attempt decreased by 16.4 percent.  

“The healthcare disparities faced by Black families in our state is a crisis for us all, and requires urgent action,” said Senator Samra G. Brouk. “Black mothers and children are dying and cannot wait any longer for change, which is why I’m proud to support an ambitious family-affirming agenda with the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus.”

“The Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian Legislative caucus has put forth an ambitious Agenda representative of the needs of people of color and the immigrant community across the state,” said Assemblywoman Michaëlle Solages, Chair of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus. “As we celebrate Black History Month and the contributions of Black community members, let us also work to empower our families of color through transformative legislation.”

As the first Black woman elected to the State Senate from Upstate New York, and the first Black person elected to the State Senate from the Greater Rochester Area, Senator Brouk is committed to system and policy change that improves health outcomes for communities of color. She is proud to celebrate and make Black history to create a better future for New York’s Black families.

To view photos from the press conference, click here.

To view video from the press conference, click here.