LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION congratulating the Visiting Nurse Service of New
York upon the occasion of its Nurse-Family Partnership Bronx Program
Graduation on March 24, 2010

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to commend individuals
and organizations whose professional commitment and dedication enhance
the excellence of healthcare in their community and the great State of
New York; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to congratu-
late the Visiting Nurse Service of New York upon the occasion of its
Nurse-Family Partnership Bronx Program Graduation, to be held on March
24, 2010, at the Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center, Morris Avenue
and East 149th Street, Bronx, New York; and
WHEREAS, The focus of the Visiting Nurse Service of New York (VNSNY)
is home health care; it believes that healthy individuals thrive best in
healthy communities; and
WHEREAS, VNSNY was founded by Lillian Ward in 1893, based on the
belief that illness often had underlying social causes; at the Henry
Street Settlement, she arranged for patients and neighbors to experience
life beyond the crowded tenements and factories with country excursions,
picnics, and concert tickets; and
WHEREAS, After completing afternoon visits, VNSNY nurses taught class-
es in English or cooking; eventually, the Henry Street Settlement estab-
lished or oversaw kindergartens, boys' and girls' clubs, scholarship
funds, and classes in carpentry, sewing, diction, music, and dance and
by 1912, more than 28,000 took advantage of these programs; and
WHEREAS, As New York City and the needs of its residents changed, so
has VNSNY; its Early Steps Childhood Center has replaced the kindergar-
tens; classes in parenting have replaced cooking lessons; and more of
its services address the chronic conditions of seniors; and
WHEREAS, When the AIDS crisis hit New York, VNSNY was there; as early
as 1981, it was working with New York City officials to address the
needs of patients, and within 10 years, VNSNY nurses cared for almost
1,200 AIDS patients daily; VNSNY Home Care established a variety of
clinical, psychiatric, and personal services and programs to assist AIDS
and HIV-positive individuals; and
WHEREAS, VNSNY's children and family services program provides a
comprehensive array of services and programs to pregnant women, new
parents, and their infants, and to children with acute and chronic
illnesses and/or developmental delays; and
WHEREAS, The Nurse-Family Partnerships Program of VNSNY is a citywide
initiative overseen by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene;
it provides free, intensive at-home nursing visits to low-income first
time pregnant women and their infants throughout New York City; and
WHEREAS, VNSNY also provides a wealth of services, from skilled nurs-
ing care to rehabilitation therapy to personal services, like assistance
with bathing, preparing meals, even companionship; it offers those
services on an "in home" basis; its home health care professionals work
with patients in all five boroughs of New York City, as well as Nassau
County and parts of Westchester County; and
WHEREAS, The Visiting Nurse Service of New York is able to deliver the
right care for many reasons, including: compassion, availability, under-
standing, medical expertise, technology, multi-cultural sensitivity,
service, location, being number one with doctors and hospitals, and
patient satisfaction; and

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to publicly recog-
nize the nurses of VNSNY who have faithfully served the health needs of
the community and its citizens with diligence and compassionate commit-
ment; and
WHEREAS, It is further the sense of this Legislative Body that when
organizations of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our
attention, they should be recognized by all the citizens of this great
Empire State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
congratulate the Visiting Nurse Service of New York upon the occasion of
its 2010 Nurse-Family Partnership Bronx Program Graduation; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the Visiting Nurse Service of New York.