Page 10 - qt edition #20

PAGE 10 THE QUEENS TIMES THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2022

Attorney General James Warns Against Price During Mental Health Awareness Month Legislators
Gouging of Baby Formula Call For Passage of Maternal Mental Health Bills

(Continued from page 6) and ethnic health care dis- care for themselves and
AG James Advises Parents extra unopened, unexpired that are vital to their health, crimination and disparities their children. My legisla-
to Speak to Doctor if Short formula consider donating safety, or welfare for an referred to the Floor from that contribute to disparities tion will ensure that we can
on Formula, Encourages it to their local food pantry. unconscionably excessive the Senate Women’s Issues within current postpartum study the disproportion-
New Yorkers to Donate Ex- “The national baby for- price. Due to the nationwide Committee. depression screening pro- ate ways that postpartum
cess Formula to Local Food mula shortage is terrifying shortage, OAG advises con- S7752 directs the Office tocols. depression screenings are
Pantries for parents concerned about sumers to buy only as much of Mental Health to create S7865 requires maternal applied and help identify
how to feed their children,” formula as they need and a Maternal Mental Health health care providers pro- racial disparities within ex-
With increased short- said Attorney General not to unnecessarily stock Workgroup to study and viding pre- and postnatal isting protocols. We call on
ages of baby formula due to James. “The last thing any up as such panic buying issue recommendations care or pediatric care to the legislature to pass these
recalls and supply chain dis- family needs is to be price may intensify the shortage related to the diagnosis invite the mother to fill out bills this session. Lives de-
ruptions, New York Attor- gouged on critical nutrition and could encourage sellers and treatment of maternal a questionnaire to detect pend on it.”
ney General Letitia James for their little ones, which is to engage in illegal price mental health and perinatal maternal depression and Assemblywoman Mi-
today warned retailers that why I am putting profiteers gouging. The OAG also and postpartum mood and other mood disorders. The chaëlle Solages, Chair of
price gouging is illegal. seeking to take advantage of reminds consumers that anxiety disorders. The bill is bill is sponsored in the As- the Black, Puerto Rican,
The Office of the Attorney this crisis on notice. If New it is not price gouging for sponsored in the Assembly sembly by Assemblywoman Hispanic & Asian Legisla-
General (OAG) is aware of Yorkers see exorbitant price retailers to limit the amount by Assemblymember Sarah Michaëlle Solages, who tive Caucus, said: “Negative
reports of baby formula be- increases for baby formula, of formula they sell to indi- Clark. serves as Chair of the Black, mental health outcomes that
ing sold online for prices far I encourage them to report vidual consumers. Among other tasks, the Puerto Rican, Hispanic & result in tragedy for both
exceeding its retail value. it to my office immediately. When reporting price workgroup shall: Asian Legislative Caucus. the mother and the child
Attorney General James Anyone who seeks to take gouging to OAG, consum- • Identify vulnerable popu- Maternal depression are fully preventable, if
urges New Yorkers to be advantage of this crisis is ers should: lations and risk factors in screenings will be offered: detected. Only around half
on alert for potential price on notice. I also urge any • Report the specific the state for maternal mental ● At the time of prenatal of mothers are screened for
gouging of baby formula parent who is struggling to increased prices, the dates, health disorders that may care maternal depression - and
and to report any dramatic find formula to speak with and places that they saw occur during pregnancy and ● At the time of a well- far fewer are screened using
price increases to her of- their child’s doctor before the increased prices, and through the first postpartum child checkup prior to the standardized assessment
fice. In addition, Attorney altering or using formula the types of formula being year; infant’s first birthday tools. It is vital that mothers
General James encourages other than directed. If New sold; and, • Identify and recom- ● At the time of a mother’s are screened for depression
parents having difficulty Yorkers have excess un- • Provide copies of their mend effective, culturally follow up visit to their OB/ using validated assessments
finding formula to speak opened, unexpired formula, sales receipts and photos competent, and accessible GYN so they can be connected
with their child’s doctor please consider donating it of the advertised prices, if prevention screening and This bill also recom- with the care they need
before attempting to water to your local food pantry to available. identification and treatment mends that maternal health to ensure the health and
down formula or make their help families in need.” New Yorkers should report strategies, including public care providers make the best safety of themselves and
own, both of which can be New York law prohibits potential concerns about education and workplace efforts possible to contact their child. That is why I
potentially dangerous to merchants from taking un- price gouging to OAG by awareness, provider educa- the person who gave birth am happy to introduce this
a child. Attorney General fair advantage of consumers filing a complaint online or tion and training, and social within 21 days from the piece of legislation along-
James asks that anyone with by selling goods or services call 800-771-7755. support services; date of delivery and utilize side Senator Brouk which
Statement From Speaker Adrienne E. Adams on • Identify and recommend industry practices to detect will require maternal care
providers to offer maternal
evidence-based practices maternal depression.
The United States Senate’s Failure to Pass The for health care providers and Senator Samra Brouk, depression screenings dur-
Chair of the Senate Mental ing pre and postnatal care.”
public health systems;
Women’s Health Protection Act • Make recommendations Health Committee, said: Assemblywoman Sarah
on legislation, policy initia- “Families across the state Clark, Member of the As-
tives, funding requirements are depending on us to ad- sembly Mental Health Com-
“It is a deep disappoint- ber how their United States Leader Chuck Schumer and and budgetary priorities to dress the disparities of care mittee, said: “Today I join
ment and injustice that the Senator voted on the funda- Kirsten Gillibrand, for their address maternal mental for maternal mental health my colleagues and mom
Senate failed to pass the mental right for millions of leadership on this legislation, health needs in the state. conditions, which is why legislators, calling for the
Women’s Health Protection women, trans, and gender and all senators who sup- S7753 requires the New our Maternal Mental Health passage of our maternal
Act. This legislation is criti- non-conforming people to ported it. We will continue to York State Office of Men- package is so crucial. One in mental health package of
cal to safeguard abortion and make their own reproductive fight, legislate, and organize tal Health (OMH) and the five women experience ma- bills. Mental illnesses have
reproductive rights in states health decisions to access to ensure access to safe, legal Department of Health to ternal mental health condi- been overlooked and stig-
across the country. Now, abortion care. I am grateful to abortion for anyone needing conduct a study on the in- tions, and Black women are matized for far too long,
every American will remem- New York Senators, Majority this care.” adequacies of existing post- twice as likely to experience especially for pregnant and

Reps. Maloney, Nadler Call on Mayor Adams to partum depression screen- many of these conditions postpartum mothers and
ing tools in an effort to while seeking help only those in Black and Brown
Disclose City Records on Governmental Knowledge address the under-diagnosis half as often. We know communities. This legisla-
tion seeks to address dispar-
and treatment of women in maternal mental health con-
of The Scope of The Health Threats to 9/11 vulnerable, at-risk popula- ditions can be deadly, so it ities by providing a working
Responders And Survivors tions, particularly Black is imperative that we pass group to better track data to
this legislation to begin the support pregnant and post-
women. The bill is spon-
sored in the Assembly by work of providing better partum women, conduct a
Assemblymember Jessica care to the mothers and study to assess the impact
This letter comes as a fol- “While some documents Building on their two González-Rojas. families who are relying on of postpartum depression
low up to the Representa- may have been disclosed decades of advocacy for This study will: us to act.” screening tests, and setting
tives’ original letter in in past litigation, we do not 9/11 responders and sur- • Examine what additional Assemblymember Jessica new guidelines for maternal
September 2021 to then believe this represents the vivors, the members con- questions or tools could be González-Rojas, Member depression screenings to en-
Mayor Bill de Blasio entirety of the City’s files tinue: “Throughout our two implemented to minimize of the Assembly Health sure no one slips through the
and demand a complete decades of work with the disparities found within the Committee, said “We have cracks. I am proud to join
Congressmembers release.” 9/11 community to guar- current screening protocols. a serious maternal mental Senator Brouk and my As-
Carolyn B. Maloney (NY- In their letter to Mayor antee their health care and • Identify racial disparities health crisis in our nation sembly colleagues pushing
12) and Jerrold Nadler (NY- Adams, the members state, compensation, we have within existing protocols and state and we have the for the passage of these bills
10) sponsors of the James “The time has come for a faced resistance from many and screening measures for ability to address it. Peo- so that all New Yorkers, es-
Zadroga 9/11 Health and full accounting of the his- in the federal government postpartum depression and ple and women who give pecially those who have tra-
Compensation Act, its re- tory of 9/11. The ongoing – namely to admitting that mood disorders birth deserve the necessary ditionally been overlooked
authorization, the Never review and declassification the toxins released in the • Identify ways to reduce screening, assessment, and and underserved, will get
Forget the Heroes: James of documents related to the attacks and during cleanup or eliminate transgender intervention to ensure that the help and support needed
Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s posed a serious and ongoing and non-binary and racial they are healthy and can after childbirth.”
Luis Alvarez Permanent possible involvement in health hazard to those on
Authorization of the Sep- the 9/11 attacks ordered the pile and in the vicinity. Meng Issues Statement on Greek Prime Minister’s ...
tember 11th Victim Com- by President Biden was a Those health risks, about
pensation Fund Act, and the critical first step in this which we immediately (Continued from page 6) I thank Prime Minister munity is shown through
9/11 Responder and Survi- accounting. Providing full warned the government, Mitsotakis for coming to her work at HANAC,
vor Health Funding Correc- transparency on what the have now caused enor- said, we must commit to Washington and address- a nonprofit, social ser-
tion Act, asked New York government knew about the mous harm to thousands of continuing to strengthen ing Congress. I was proud vices organization serv-
City Mayor Eric Adams health risks at Ground Zero responders and survivors. the relationship between to be in attendance for it.” ing communities in need
to release “any documents and how they potentially Many of them are now liv- our two great countries as Meng also brought throughout New York
related to 9/11 that are in its covered up that informa- ing with – and too many are we stand for democracy Stacy Bliagos, Executive City. The organization
files or emails from the pe- tion will finally provide dying from – 9/11 related around the world. I look Director of HANAC, as was founded in Queens
riod of September 11, 2001 transparency to a too-often health conditions caused by forward to doing all I can her guest for the speech. in 1972 to serve the needs
through the spring of 2002.” overlooked aspect of the at- exposure to those toxins 20 to strengthen this rela- Bliagos’ support of the of the Greek American
The members continue: tack’s history.” years ago.” tionship even further, and Greek American com- community.