BILL NUMBER:S5100

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the public health law, in relation to
an informational leaflet relating to safe sleep

PURPOSE:

To increase public awareness and educate maternity patients about safe
sleep practice

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one amends section 2803-j of the public health law by adding a
new subdivision 1-d to provide that the informational leaflet provided
by hospitals and birth centers to maternity patients under this
section shall also include the recommendations from the American
Academy of Pediatrics relating to safe sleep, including sleep space
and sleep position, and discussion on how to reduce the risk of infant
death through safe sleep practices. The information described in this
subparagraph may take the form of a video in lieu of a leaflet.

Section two provides the effective date.

JUSTIFICATION:

Each year in New York State, babies die from Sudden Infant Death
              

Syndrome (SIDS) and accidents during sleep. The Office of Children and
Family Services (OCFS) has noticed that an increased number of
fatalities reported to the Statewide Central Register has been
occurring in children, mainly infants, while they are sleeping.

To promote safe sleeping practices for infants, the State Department
of Health (DOH) and OCFS have worked cooperatively on developing
brochures and other public information materials on safe sleep. DOH
has devoted a page on its website to SIDS and safe sleep.

It is critical, however, that efforts to prevent infant deaths due to
unsafe sleeping practices include direct outreach to birth parents.
We currently already require hospitals and birth centers to provide
information to maternity patients regarding shaken baby syndrome,
maternal depression and statistics on maternity-related procedures
such as cesarean sections performed at such hospitals and birth
centers. This bill would simply add to such information.

With this legislation, we can continue to build awareness of the risks
associated with unsafe sleeping conditions and help parents provide
safe sleeping environments for infants so that we can prevent another
terrible tragedy.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Nominal.


EFFECTIVE DATE:

This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it
shall have become a law; provided that any rule or regulation
necessary for the timely implementation of this act on its effective
date shall be promulgated on or before such effective date.