Priority Areas

Reducing the Number of Uninsured

Some 900,000 New Yorkers are uninsured yet eligible for public health insurance coverage. If they meet the qualifications, why aren’t they enrolled? Some may not know about the program. Others don’t know they are eligible. Still others are reluctant to accept public benefits, or have difficulty completing the enrollment paperwork. An additional 1.3 million state residents are uninsured, but do not qualify for public health insurance. The New York State Health Foundation (NYSHealth) is committed to reducing the percentage of uninsured residents in New York State through public and private initiatives. Read more >>

Improving Health Care for People with Diabetes

More than 1.5 million New York State residents have diabetes—more people than could fill Yankees Stadium 27 times. The number of New Yorkers with diabetes has more than doubled in the last decade, and diabetes is the only chronic disease that continues to grow in prevalence. The disease affects racial and ethnic minorities more than others. In New York City, 13.8% of Hispanics, 11.3% of blacks, and 10.1% of Asians have diabetes, compared with 6.2% of whites. In the State, diabetes-related end-stage renal disease is highest among non-Hispanic blacks, underscoring disparities in access to effective prevention and management. Diabetes also contributes substantially to rising health care costs. The total cost of diabetes for New York in 2006 was estimated at $12.9 billion, including excess medical costs attributed to diabetes of $8.7 billion and lost productivity valued at $4.2 billion. NYSHealth is committed to reversing the diabetes epidemic by improving clinical care; mobilizing communities to identify, prevent, and manage diabetes; and promoting policies to sustain a comprehensive, coordinated care system for patients with diabetes and to enable communities to promote prevention strategies, such as making nutritious foods and recreation spaces more available. Read more >>

Integrating Mental Health/Substance Use Services

Nearly 1.4 million people in New York State suffer from co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders; however, individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders rarely receive services that effectively address both of these issues. For years, the mental health and substance use systems of care have operated separately, and regulatory and financial barriers have restricted integration of these services. Not surprisingly, poor health outcomes are associated with co-occurring disorders in the absence of integrated care and individuals with co-occurring disorders are at higher risk for other serious medical problems, homelessness, violence, social isolation, and early death. NYSHealth has set as a priority area the integration of mental health and substance use services in New York State, and is dedicated to advancing potential solutions. As a component of this priority area, NYSHealth has identified returning Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans and their families as a high-need, sub-population whose broad mental health needs are not being met. Read more >>