Senate Resolution No. 5801

BY: Senator HANNON

COMMEMORATING the 125th Anniversary of the
founding of the Visiting Nurse Service of New York

WHEREAS, It is the tradition of this Legislative Body to recognize
the exceptional contribution of organizations that work to improve the
well-being of New York State residents; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commemorate the 125th Anniversary of the Visiting Nurse Service of New
York; and

WHEREAS, In the late 19th century, disease was rampant among the
residents of the Lower East Side of Manhattan, the most densely
populated area in the world, most of whom were immigrants; and

WHEREAS, The Visiting Nurse Service of New York was founded in 1893
by Lillian Wald, a pioneer in the fields of social reform, nursing, and
public health, to provide health services, education, and a safety net
to the most vulnerable New Yorkers in lower Manhattan; and

WHEREAS, For a century and a quarter, the Visiting Nurse Service of
New York has helped New Yorkers through numerous crises, including major
outbreaks of polio, influenza and diphtheria, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the
9/11 attacks, and natural disasters; and

WHEREAS, The Visiting Nurse Service of New York has led many
innovations in home- and community-based care throughout its history,
including in nursing care; prenatal, maternal and child health; elder
care; chronic disease care; physical therapy; behavioral health care;
home health services; and hospice and palliative care; and

WHEREAS, The Visiting Nurse Service of New York is the largest
not-for-profit home- and community-based health care organization in the
United States, providing expert and compassionate care to New Yorkers
throughout the State, with programs to support vulnerable and
marginalized communities, including ethnic and racial minorities,
veterans, LGBTQ individuals, immigrants, the frail elderly, and people
living with mental illness and physical disabilities; and

WHEREAS, Today, the Visiting Nurse Service of New York provides a
wide array of high-quality, cost-effective services, including skilled
home care, hospice, population health, Nurse-Family Partnership,
Community Mental Health Services, Naturally Occurring Retirement
Community services, and Medicaid and Medicare health plans; and

WHEREAS, In 2017, the Visiting Nurse Service of New York employed
more than 13,000 individuals, including more than 1,500 nurses and 9,200
home health aides who collectively speak more than 50 languages,
touching more than 48,500 lives on any given day as it provided more
than 1.3 million clinical visits and 32 million home health aide hours
to more than 135,000 patients ranging in age from newborn to over 110
years old; and


WHEREAS, Care provided by the Visiting Nurse Service of New York has
resulted in greater health equity and enabled countless New Yorkers, to
remain safe and healthy in their homes and communities; and

WHEREAS, The Visiting Nurse Service of New York provided over $47
million in charitable care and community benefit programs in 2017,
including $7 million in free and discounted home care services to more
than 8,500 under- and uninsured New Yorkers; and

WHEREAS, The mission of this organization has remained consistent
for over one hundred years: to promote the health and well-being of
patients, members, and families by providing expert, accessible, and
cost-effective health care in the home and community; and

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body that, when
organizations of such extraordinary achievement are brought to our
attention, they should be celebrated and recognized by all citizens of
this great state; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 125th Anniversary of the Visiting Nurse Service of New
York; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
Visiting Nurse Service of New York.