Public Health & Mental Health

Public Health departments promote and protect the health of all who live, work, and play in counties throughout New York. Counties provide direct services and community partnerships in the following areas: development and maintenance of individual and community preparedness for public health hazards and events; investigation, prevention, and control of communicable diseases; prevention of environmental health hazards through assessment, regulation, and remediation; promotion of healthy lifestyles through outreach and education; and provision for evaluation and services to individuals, children, and families that have developmental delays and concerns.

NYSAC White Papers and Reports

• Making Marijuana Legal in New York State: Updated February 2019
• Marijuana Legalization- Fact Sheet (January 2019)
   
• County Coroners and Medical Examiners: Emerging Funding Challenges
• Counties Promoting Public Health, A Special NYSAC Report

Drinking Water Quality & Infrastructure

• NYSAC Report: Counties and Drinking Water Quality 

• Letters from NYSAC and NYSACCHO to US EPA and NYS DOH Re: Setting Maximum Containment Level for Perfluorooctanoic Acid “PFOA” and  Perfluorooctanesulfonic Acid “PFOS (August 2018)

• Clean Water Infrastructure in NYS (White Paper, December 2017)
• The County Perspective On Water Quality and Implementing the State’s Clean Water Infrastructure Act - Testimony submitted by NYSAC on 12/4/17 to the Assembly Standing Committee on Environmental Conservation, Assembly Standing Committee on Health, and the Assembly Subcommittee on Oversight of the Department of Environmental Conservation

Battling the Heroin & Opioid Epidemic

• Opioid and Heroin Abuse - Fact Sheet, 2018 Budget Priority
• County Case Studies in Battling New York's Heroin and Opioid Epidemic
• A Primer on NY's Heroin Epidemic
• Video: An update on the battle against the opioid crisis - 1/30/18
• NACo-NLC Opioid Epidemic Task Force Report and Recommendations: Overview and Discussion (Webinar recording and report)
• County Leaders Unite To Fight The Heroin And Opioid Abuse Epidemic - 1/12/17

Public Health Issues

• NYS Budget Fact Sheet: Organ Donation
• Lyme Disease in New York State
• Medical Marijuana in New York State: An Overview 

Recent Public Health/Mental Health Resolutions

September 2018

January 2018

1. Resolution Calling on the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services and the Governor to Provide State Funding to Support the Treatment and Transition Services to Individuals with Substance Use Disorders (SUD) Who are Incarcerated in County Jails 
2. Resolution Supporting an End to Administrative Funding Cuts, an Increase in the Base Grant, Per Capita Rate, and State Aid Formula that Constitute Article 6 State Aid Reimbursement for Mandated General Public Health Work Undertaken by Local Health Departments as Population Health Partners of New York State 
3. Resolution Calling on the Office of Mental Health and the Governor to Ensure Long Term Viability to OMH Funded Housing Programs for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness Through Support of the “Bring It Home” Initiative