Photo Courtesy of Caroline Willis/Mayoral Photography Office
Mayor Adams last week outlined his vision for a “New York City Women’s Health Agenda”.
By Forum Staff
Mayor Eric Adams recently outlined his vision for a “New York City Women’s Health Agenda” aimed at dismantling decades of systemic inequity that have negatively impacted the health of women across the five boroughs.
The Adams administration’s vision to create a model for the future of women’s health across the five boroughs includes:
- Relaunching the Sexual Education Task Force: Convened by the New York City Commission on Gender Equity, in partnership with the New York City Department of Education (DOE) and the New York City Mayor’s Office of Equity, the task force will educate the youngest New Yorkers and create a culture of sexual wellness and inclusivity. Additionally, the task force will work to update and implement 11 recommendations in its 2018 report — including ensuring school staff have basic competencies around inclusivity and respect and that they can also link students to appropriate sexual health resources outside the school setting, as well as increasing broad community support of sexual health education through public awareness campaigns and information sessions. The task force will also provide an annual report of its activities.
- Immediately Committing to Tracking Rates of Different Diseases: Diseases tracked would include cancer, mental health conditions, heart disease, and, possibly, additional conditions, as well as life expectancy and other key indicators differentiated by age, race, and additional key factors. The Adams administration will leverage findings to shape the work that city agencies carry out regarding women’s health. The city will also report on these indicators in an effort to ensure the tracking of progress regarding the state of women’s health in New York City. Additionally, the administration will continue to champion research in this space.
- Expanding Access to Medication Abortion at New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) Clinics: The Morrisania Sexual Health Clinic in the Bronx, DOHMH has already begun to provide abortion pills to individuals. Several additional neighborhood DOHMH clinics in Crown Heights (Brooklyn), Central Harlem (Manhattan), and Jamaica (Queens) are scheduled to begin dispensing this medication by the end of the year. New York City Health + Hospitals’ (H+H) 11 public hospitals citywide already offer medication abortion.
- Launching a Provider Education Campaign on Maternal Health: The campaign will focus on supporting those with hypertension and diabetes and will entail direct outreach to providers in target neighborhoods in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Manhattan that experience health and other socioeconomic disparities. The 20-week campaign will launch in the summer of 2023.
- Launching of a Family-Based Substance Use Disorder Program at H+H: The substance use disorder program will focus on providing support to those who are pregnant and/or parenting and struggling with addiction, while additionally providing their children with mental health support and other services. The program will integrate family medicine, behavioral health, and addiction medicine across a continuum of care. Concurrently, the program will also address primary care, as well as psychosocial and mental health needs of children. In doing so, this model will support the healthy, long-term development of children affected by parental substance abuse.
