NYC PUBLIC ADVOCATE RELEASES REPORT ON MATERNAL HEALTH INEQUITIES

 

New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams today released a report on maternal health inequities, analyzing systemic issues and outlining potential policy solutions. It details issues of maternal morbidity and the pervasive but underdiscussed healthcare disparities that contribute to the problem both nationally and locally.

The report, Equitable Pregnancy Outcomes for Black and Brown New Yorkers, comes as the Public Advocate has been advancing city legislation on maternal health outcomes, and after he and his family shared their personal story and struggles with maternal healthcare inadequacies and inequities. 

"When I first began working on issues of Black and Brown maternal health, and on these bills, I had no idea how personally it would affect my family– but I knew, I had met and spoken with, the families of so many who had experienced inequity and tragic loss.” said Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams on the release of the report. “This report details the causes of maternal morbidity, the deep disparities in who receives adequate care and who faces greatest pain and tragedy. It tells the stories behind the statistics, and highlights solutions that can save lives. It is critical, it is urgent, that we pass these bills in the City Council, and continue the work on a state and federal level, to help promote health and prevent tragedy from pre to post-pregnancy."

Maternal health inequities are a national issue, and that disparity is magnified and exacerbated in New York. Nationally, Black and Native American women are three times more likely than white women to die from a pregnancy related case – while in New York City, Black women are 8 times more likely than white women to die from a pregnancy-related cause, and nearly 3 times more likely to experience severe maternal morbidity than white women. In 2017, Black women gave birth to 23% of New York City babies, yet accounted for 55% of maternal deaths. Black women continue to have worse outcomes than their white counterparts regardless of insurance or socio-economic status. 

These inequities, and the tragic losses they represent, stem from a number of factors detailed in the report. Causes identified include access to care, quality of care, prevalence of chronic illness, structural racism, socioeconomic inequities, and implicit biases within the healthcare system.

To begin to address these inequities, the report includes the following recommendations:

• The New York City Council needs to pass the Public Advocate’s maternal health legislative package, including bills to establish a maternal health bill of rights and require employers to hold an onboarding meeting to discuss an employee's reintegration back into the workplace after parental leave, as well as a resolution calling for passage of the federal Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021.
• New York City needs to expand its comprehensive plan to reduce maternal death from 5 years to 10 years.
• New York City’s Health + Hospitals Corporation needs to incorporate the World Health Organization’s recommendations for improving outcomes of preterm births.
• New York City Health + Hospitals needs to include information on maternal mortality rates and the number of severe maternal morbidity cases in its annual Community Health Needs Assessment report.
• New York State must enact legislation to require public and private health care facilities to incorporate a biannual anti bias training for women and birthing people of more color, as well as a training focused on creating trans-inclusive, gender affirming environments for TGNC patients.
• The state must also enact legislation that would require health insurance plans to provide free coverage of midwifery and doula services to expectant persons at a liveable wage.
• The U.S. Congress needs to pass and the President needs to sign the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act. 

After having worked on addressing Black maternal health throughout his first two years in office, and introducing legislation on the issue this summer, the Public Advocate and his wife, India Sneed-Williams, publicly shared their personal experiences with health inequities earlier this week. After struggles with fertility, miscarriage, cancer diagnosis, and healthcare providers who failed to listen to or provide crucial options for the couple, they announced Monday that they are expecting a ‘miracle baby.’ Learn more about their journey here. 

They hope that by sharing their story, they can help empower individuals to self-advocate for and receive more culturally responsive, equitable reproductive healthcare, and help to advance systemic change to confront ongoing inequities in New York City and beyond through solutions detailed in this report.

View and download the full report here.

NYC Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez - Happy Veterans Day!

Office of Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

 

Today we honor the brave women and men that have sacrificed so much for this country. We must continue to support our troops abroad as well as those at home. Many of our soldiers are still struggling to recuperate from the after-effects of war. Let us continue to ensure that all of our soldiers and veterans across our country receive the services and resources they need!

I hope you and your family have a happy Veterans Day!

Sincerely,

Ydanis Rodriguez

Council Member, District 10

Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill

Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association Meeting - A Farewell to Councilman Mark Gjonaj

 

It was a happy, but sad Tuesday evening for the November Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association, it's President Edith Blitzer, and Councilman Mark Gjonaj. It was the final meeting in his ten year political career. Six as an Assemblyman and four as a City Council member. 

PPNA  President Edith Blitzer said 'we will miss you Mark', and Councilman Gjonaj said 'It was on this very spot Barnes and Lydig Avenues) where my political career began, and this is the last PPNA meeting I will be attending as your councilman. Also at the meeting was Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez who took over from Gjonaj in the State Assembly from the 80th A.D.

State Senator Biaggi was also invited to the meeting, but her office said the senator was still recovering from a bout with the COVIC virus she had gotten. It was the Mark Gjonaj show when it came to taking questions from the audience, as it has been, with Councilman Gjonaj trying to give all the answers including a question on the state's passage of new laws concerning the possession and sale of Marijuana. Before Assemblywoman Fernandez could answer, Councilman Gjonaj was on to the next question. She had to return to the question to give her answer. Mark Gjonaj said that he will still be Councilman Gjonaj until the end of the second day of January, and that he will still be very active in the community.

PPNA President Edith Blitzer thanking Councilman Mark Gjonaj for his ten years of service to the Pelham Parkway community, where he was always a friend of. L - R are PPNA Treasurer Elio Morales, Secretary Louis Lutnik, President Edith Blitzer, Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez, Councilman Mark Gjonaj, and PPNA Vice-President Steve Glosser.

Councilman Mark Gjonaj said that he was still in office until the end of January 2, 2022, and that he was going nowhere, thanking Ms. Blitzer and her late husband for their support in his first race for the 80th Assembly.

As usual Mark Gjonaj wanted to answer all questions.

Assemblywoman Fernandez had a hard time getting a word in on some of the questions that related to the state assembly. 

The last matter of business was to raffle off turkey vouchers to the extra large crowd in attendance. 

Governor Hochul Announces More Than 100,000 Vaccines Administered in Last 24 Hours - NOVEMBER 10, 2021

 

29 COVID-19 Deaths Statewide Yesterday

New Vaccine Data Added to Health Data NY

Parents Encouraged to Visit State Website For Helpful Info About Child Vaccination

 Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combating COVID-19.  

"I'm proud of New Yorkers for stepping up, with over 100,000 people being vaccinated in the last 24 hours," Governor Hochul said. "Every day and with each vaccination we get closer to beating this pandemic. We need every New Yorker, especially children who are now eligible, to get vaccinated - so sign up for your shot today." 

As part of Governor Hochul's transparency plan designed to dramatically increase access to data and information and continue the process of rebuilding New Yorkers' trust in State government, new data has been published on the Health Data NY website. The data includes:

• Certified Home Health Agencies (CHHA) Staff COVID-19 Vaccinations
• Licensed Home Care Services Agencies (LHCSAs) Staff COVID-19 Vaccinations
• Hospice Staff COVID-19 Vaccinations
• Nursing Home and Adult Care Facility Resident & Staff COVID-19 Vaccinations
• COVID-19 Testing by Zip Code  

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

• Test Results Reported - 153,396
• Total Positive - 5,138 
• Percent Positive - 3.35%
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 2.78% 
• Patient Hospitalization - 1,881 (+3) 
• Patients Newly Admitted - 279 
• Patients in ICU - 399 (+21) 
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 224 (+9) 
• Total Discharges - 210,463 (+255) 
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 29 
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 45,891

The Health Electronic Response Data System is a NYS DOH data source that collects confirmed daily death data as reported by hospitals, nursing homes and adult care facilities only. 

• Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC - 58,449 

This daily COVID-19 provisional death certificate data reported by NYS DOH and NYC to the CDC includes those who died in any location, including hospitals, nursing homes, adult care facilities, at home, in hospice and other settings.

• Total vaccine doses administered - 27,972,900 
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours - 109,257 
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days - 580,548 
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose - 85.0% 
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 77.2% 
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 88.5% 
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 79.4% 
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 72.1% 
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 65.4% 
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 75.1% 
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 67.3%

MAYOR DE BLASIO APPOINTS NEW COMMISSIONERS TO COMMISSION ON GENDER EQUITY

 

Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced the appointment of three new Commissioners to the Commission on Gender Equity (CGE), an agency tasked with supporting City agencies in dismantling institutional barriers for women, girls, transgender, and gender non-binary New Yorkers.

These new appointees are community leaders, advocates, founders, and creators of organizations that break down gendered barriers across New York City. The new Commissioners will work with CGE and the current Commissioners as partners and ambassadors for CGE's work and the broader gender equity efforts of the de Blasio Administration. The newly appointed Commissioners.

Imara Jones, Creator of Translash Medi

Kiara St. James, Founder and Executive Director of New York Transgender Advocacy Group

Shyama Venkateswar, Senior Director of Learning, Seramount   

“Building a recovery for all of us means ensuring every New Yorker is guaranteed opportunities, acceptance, and support,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “These new members will help us ensure we never go back to the status quo and instead create a fairer, more equitable city for every resident, regardless of gender.” 

 

“When we launched the Commission on Gender Equity, our mission was to make sure government represents, serves, and supports ALL New Yorkers, no matter their gender, ethnicity, income or who they love,” said First Lady Chirlane McCray. “Over the past six years we have reached historic milestones becoming the first city in the nation to enforce a Salary History Ban, to implement Paid Sick and Safe Leave and to create a Pay Equity Cabinet. Under the leadership of these new commissioners, we will build on that foundation and continue the fight for gender equity.”

 

“The only way to create a just society and a better, stronger New York is through gender equity,” said Imara Jones. “The legacy of the patriarchy is still a fact for too many New Yorkers and it causes violence in all its forms—physical, political, financial and cultural—to be an unnecessary reality. By righting these wrongs of the past today, specifically by creating a city and country where all genders can thrive, we will foster a world where we can all live freely.”

“As a Black woman of trans experience it is with extreme honor to be part of such a progressive and intentional committee that will work hard to uplift the voices of all women,” said Kiara St. James. “It is my honor to further this work on behalf of the de Blasio Administration and help build a fairer, more equitable, and more inclusive city for New Yorkers.” 

"I am thrilled to be working with the other members of the Commission on Gender Equity to bring thought leadership to intentionally advance an equity-based public policy agenda that makes critical investments in families and communities,” said Shyama Venkateswar. “Committing our collective efforts towards gender parity can help to transform the lives of millions of New Yorkers - women, girls, transgender and gender non-conforming persons - towards greater well-being and inclusion. We have a rare opportunity at this moment to make transformational change, and it is an honor to be asked to serve by the Mayor in an advisory capacity on issues so close to my heart and to which I have been deeply committed for more than three decades.” 

 

“I am pleased to welcome Imara, Kiara, and Shyama to the Commission on Gender Equity as we work to advance economic mobility and opportunity, health and reproductive justice, and safety for all New Yorkers, regardless of gender identity, gender expression or background,” said Jacqueline Ebanks, Executive Director, NYC Commission on Gender Equity. “I am confident that their tremendous professional and personal knowledge, insight, and experience will contribute greatly to our efforts.” 

 

“COVID-19 has shown us just how central advancing gender and racial equity is to our overall goal of a New York City that works for all,” said Silda Palerm, Co-Chair, NYC Commission on Gender Equity. “I am confident that the dedication, relationships, and knowledge that these new Commissioners bring will prove most critical in advancing our agenda. I look forward to getting to work.” 

ASSEMBLYMAN DINOWITZ TO INTRODUCE EXTENSION TO ABSENTEE BALLOT ELIGIBILITY EXPANSION

 

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz is proposing to extend legislation he authored to allow people to apply for an absentee ballot based on temporary illness due to risk of contracting or spreading communicable disease.

 As New York approaches the expiration of a provision which currently allows eligible voters to apply for absentee ballots based on temporary illness if there is a risk of contracting or spreading a communicable disease, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz is introducing a new bill to extend this option to New Yorkers through February 1, 2024. The current provision, which was also authored by Assemblyman Dinowitz, will expire on January 1, 2022. 

The proposal to extend expanded absentee ballot eligibility is motivated by a stubborn COVID-19 pandemic that has still not been resolved after twenty months, as positive test results have hovered at several thousand new cases per day in New York State for the past three months. Hospitalization rates from COVID-19 have also hovered at levels approximately two or three times higher than when the first absentee ballot eligibility expansion was passed on July 22-23, 2021.

 

The original expansion of absentee ballot eligibility (Chapter 139 of 2020) was designed to expire at the same time as a constitutional amendment to permanently authorize no-excuse absentee voting would have taken effect. However, that ballot proposal appears to have been defeated in a statewide referendum, leaving voters who would prefer to cast their ballots from the safety of their own homes to weigh the importance of their health and their vote unless additional action is taken by the Legislature. The new bill from Assemblyman Dinowitz would grant voters an additional two years of absentee ballot expanded eligibility, during which time the Legislature and voters determine whether they want to try again on a constitutional amendment related to absentee voting.

 

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz said: “The pandemic is still hospitalizing and killing New Yorkers on a daily basis. Although we are taking dramatic strides in our vaccination efforts, the reality is that a stubborn minority of our fellow New Yorkers are refusing to get vaccinated and perpetuating the risk of contracting COVID-19 regardless of vaccination status. My new legislation is a critical measure so that no New Yorker is forced to put their own health at risk simply to cast a ballot, and I urge my colleagues to support this important measure when we return to Albany in January.”

EDITOR'S NOTE:

It appears that Assemblyman Dinowitz is attempting to bypass the will of the people who voted against Absentee Ballots on demand this past election day.

Management Consulting Firm Partner Charged In Insider Trading Scheme

 

Defendant Was a Lead Consulting Firm Partner Advising an Investment Bank on Its Acquisition of GreenSky, Inc.

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of a criminal complaint charging PUNEET DIKSHIT, a partner in a global management consulting firm (the “Consulting Firm”), with securities fraud in connection with a scheme to commit insider trading based on material, nonpublic information regarding the upcoming public announcement that an investment bank (the “Investment Bank”) – which DIKSHIT and the Consulting Firm were advising – would be acquiring GreenSky, Inc. (“GreenSky”).  The defendant was arrested earlier today and will be presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin N. Fox.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Puneet Dikshit, a consulting firm partner, exploited his access to material nonpublic information about a pending acquisition of GreenSky, Inc., to trade in GreenSky call options.  This breach of duties to his firm and its investment bank client – and violation of the law – allegedly reaped the defendant nearly half a million dollars in illegal profits.  Now Puneet Dikshit has been charged with serious felonies for his alleged conduct.”

FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said: “As alleged, Mr. Dikshit exploited his access to material nonpublic information regarding the acquisition of Green Sky to profit from trades he made in options markets.  Actions like those we allege serve to undermine the public’s confidence in the integrity of financial markets, and, as we have demonstrated time and again, the FBI and our partners are committed to ensuring a level playing field for all investors.  Mr. Dikshit now faces significant federal charges, which should serve as a warning to others considering similar conduct.”

According to the allegations in the Complaint unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:[1]

GreenSky was a publicly traded financial technology company that provided technology to banks and merchants to make loans to consumers for home improvement, solar, healthcare, and other purposes.  GreenSky’s common stock traded under the symbol “GSKY” on the NASDAQ.

Between on or about November 2019 and on or about July 2020, and again between on or about April 2021 and on or about September 2021, the Investment Bank engaged the Consulting Firm to provide various consulting services related to its consideration of an acquisition of GreenSky and the post-acquisition integration of GreenSky.  DIKSHIT was one of the Consulting Firm partners leading these engagements.  In that role, he had access to material, nonpublic information, which he misappropriated and, in violation of the duties that he owed to the Investment Bank and the Consulting Firm, used to trade GreenSky call options. 

DIKSHIT engaged in this trading between on or about July 26, 2021, and on or about September 15, 2021 – at the same time he was leading the Consulting Firm team that was advising the Investment Bank about its potential acquisition of GreenSky.  At various times between on or about July 26, 2021, and on or about September 13, 2021, DIKSHIT purchased and sold relatively small numbers of GreenSky call options, which had expiration dates weeks or months from the time of purchase.  However, in the two days before the September 15, 2021, public announcement that the Investment Bank would be acquiring GreenSky, DIKSHIT sold all of these longer-dated GreenSky call options and purchased approximately 2,500 out-of-the-money GreenSky call options that were due to expire just a few days later, on September 17, 2021.  After the deal was announced, DIKSHIT sold these calls and realized profits of approximately $450,000.

DIKSHIT, 40, of New York, New York, is charged with two counts of securities fraud, each of which has a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.  The statutory maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the FBI.  Mr. Williams further thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which today filed a parallel civil action, for its assistance and cooperation in this investigation. 

The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth in this release constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

https://100percentbronx.blogspot.com/2021/11/53-days-and-counting-what-are-you-going.html

 

Funding Through the American Rescue Plan Will Support the Essential Plan  

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the Biden-Harris Administration's Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will be making $750 million in additional American Rescue Plan funding available for New York's Essential Plan.

"If we are going to put an end to this pandemic, we need to make sure all New Yorkers have access to affordable, reliable health care coverage," Governor Hochul said. "I want to thank Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure for this funding and our ongoing partnership. The additional $750 million in federal funding to support our Essential Plan will help us further boost coverage in New York and bring us closer to our goal of achieving health equity."

New York's Essential Plan is a state administered health insurance program that covers individuals and families who make too much to qualify for Medicaid, but for whom private insurance premiums are too costly. Since the Essential Plan began in 2015 enrollment has increased three-fold -- it currently has 925,000 enrollees and, in addition to Child Health Plus, allows more New Yorkers the kind of affordable preventive care that keeps them and their families healthy. Collectively, New Yorkers are saving $1 billion in health care costs in 2021 by being enrolled in Essential Plan compared with the cost of Qualified Health Plan coverage. 

New York is one of only two states, the other being Minnesota, to take advantage of a provision of the Affordable Care Act that gave states the ability to create Basic Health Programs. These plans were designed to offer affordable health care coverage to individuals and families with low to moderate income who did not qualify for other programs, thus reducing the number of uninsured and underinsured. The Essential Plan has been instrumental in cutting New York's uninsured rate from 10 percent to 5 percent since 2013.