STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 7883--A 2021-2022 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY May 28, 2021 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. GOTTFRIED, FERNANDEZ -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health -- recommitted to the Committee on Health in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit- tee AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to establishing the eating disorders in children task force The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 2 2500-l to read as follows: 3 § 2500-l. Eating disorders in children task force. 1. The commissioner 4 shall convene an eating disorders in children task force to study and 5 create a standardized approach to, and develop best practices and guide- 6 lines for awareness, recognition, and treatment of eating disorders in 7 children. 8 2. (a) The task force shall be chaired by the commissioner or by such 9 officer or employee of the department as shall be designated by the 10 commissioner. The task force shall consist of at least ten members 11 appointed by the commissioner. The membership of the task force shall 12 include: the commissioner of health or their designee, the commissioner 13 of mental health or their designee, the commissioner of education or 14 their designee, one representative from New York chapter one of the 15 American Academy of Pediatrics, one representative from New York chapter 16 two of the American Academy of Pediatrics, one representative from New 17 York chapter three of the American Academy of Pediatrics, physicians, 18 nutritionists and mental health professionals with demonstrated exper- 19 tise in treating children with an eating disorder, at least one repre- 20 sentative from each of the comprehensive care centers for eating disor- 21 ders established pursuant to article thirty of the mental hygiene law, EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD08313-04-2A. 7883--A 2 1 advocacy organizations working to prevent and treat eating disorders, 2 and other members deemed necessary by the commissioner. 3 (b) The members of the task force shall receive no compensation for 4 their services but shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses 5 incurred in the performance of their duties. 6 3. Such task force shall establish recommendations, for use by pedia- 7 tric primary care providers, for best practice protocols and guidelines 8 for appropriate screening of children for eating disorders, as defined 9 by subdivision (a) of section 30.02 of the mental hygiene law. Such 10 recommendations shall incorporate the standards and guidelines estab- 11 lished by the American Academy of Pediatrics, but shall not be limited 12 to such standards and guidelines. 13 4. The task force shall further develop recommendations for educa- 14 tional and informational materials for such children, their 15 parents/guardians, and educators regarding awareness, recognition, and 16 treatment of eating disorders. 17 5. The commissioner shall promulgate any rules and regulations neces- 18 sary to implement the provisions of this section. 19 6. The task force shall provide an initial report to the governor, 20 temporary president of the senate, minority leader of the senate, speak- 21 er of the assembly, minority leader of the assembly, the chair of the 22 senate committee on health, the chair of the senate committee on mental 23 health, the chair of the senate committee on education, the chair of the 24 assembly committee on health, the chair of the assembly committee on 25 mental health, and the chair of the assembly committee on education of 26 its findings, conclusions, recommendations and activities already under- 27 taken by the task force, not later than one year after the effective 28 date of this section, and shall provide a report every two years there- 29 after with updated findings, conclusions and recommendations and shall 30 submit with such biennial report legislative proposals as it deems 31 necessary to implement its recommendations. 32 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.