“Every child in New York deserves a Public Health Nurse during the school hours as part of a comprehensive school health program,” Local 436 President Gloria E. Acevedo told City Council members June 2.

She testified at a City Hall hearing on Intro 207A, a proposal to put nurses in all public and private primary and intermediate schools full-time. She also spoke out at a series of borough “town hall” meetings on the bill organized by City Council Speaker Gif Miller and other council members.

Local 436, the United Federation of Nurses and Epidemiologists, supports the bill but is requesting some modifications. To assure continuity of care and quality control, the nurses should be employees of the Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene and not contracted out, Ms. Acevedo testified.

Intro 207A allows DOHMH to set up a waiting list if they cannot provide a nurse. “It would be possible to comply with the law, set up a waiting list, but not actually put any nurses in non-public schools or set up recruitment and retention programs to address shortages in public schools,” said Ms. Acevedo. “Incentives are needed.”

The City Council Health Committee members and Speaker Miller are sponsoring 207A in the City Council.