Int. No. 795
By Council Members Stevens, Hanks, Ayala, Narcisse, Banks, Louis, Farías, Salaam, Brewer, Brooks-Powers, Ung, Restler, Williams and Riley
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring the department of health and mental hygiene to conduct hearing screenings for school-aged children throughout the city and develop an outreach campaign
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Title 17 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new chapter 22 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 22
HEALTH SERVICES FOR SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN
§ 17-2201 Definitions. For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings:
Health professional. The term “health professional” means a person duly licensed or otherwise authorized to practice a health profession pursuant to applicable law, including but not limited to, physicians, registered professional nurses, nurse practitioners, physicians assistants, and audiologists.
School-aged child. The term “school-aged child” means any child aged 4 to 18, inclusive, who resides in the city.
§ 17-2202 Hearing screening; outreach campaign. a. The commissioner shall provide and facilitate hearing screenings for school-aged children at facilities of the department and of any other appropriate agency. The commissioner shall ensure that such screenings are provided free of charge in at least four locations per borough.
b. The commissioner shall appoint registered health professionals, as may be required, to administer hearing screenings to school aged children in the city.
c. The commissioner, in collaboration with the head of any other appropriate agency, shall develop and engage in an outreach campaign to inform school-aged children and their parents or legal guardians of the availability of hearing tests conducted pursuant to this section. Such outreach campaign shall include but need not be limited to the use of print, radio, and television advertisements.
§ 2. This local law takes effect 120 days after it becomes law.
DPM
LS #10311
11/17/22