N.Y. Public Health Law 240*2 – Definitions
* § 240. Definitions. For the purposes of this article:
Terms Used In N.Y. Public Health Law 240*2
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
1. "Underserved populations" shall mean those who have experienced injustices and disadvantages as a result of their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability status, age, immigration status, and/or socioeconomic status, among others as determined by the commissioner of health.
2. "Racially and ethnically diverse area" shall mean a county with a non-white population of forty percent or more, or the service area of an agency, corporation, facility or individual providing medical and/or health services whose non-white population is forty percent or more.
3. "Provider" shall mean any agency, corporation, facility, or individual providing medical and/or health care services to underserved populations.
4. "Office" shall mean the office of health equity, as created pursuant to section two hundred forty-one of this title.
5. "Health equity council" shall mean that advisory body to the commissioner, created pursuant to the provisions of section two hundred forty-three of this title.
6. "Health disparities" shall mean measurable differences in health status, access to care, and quality of care as determined by race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, a preferred language other than English, gender expression, disability status, aging population, immigration status, and socioeconomic status.
7. "Health equity" shall mean achieving the highest level of health for all people and shall entail focused efforts to address avoidable inequalities by equalizing those conditions for health for those that have experienced injustices, socioeconomic disadvantages, and systemic disadvantages.
8. "Social determinants of health" shall mean life-enhancing resources, such as availability of healthful foods, quality housing, economic opportunity, social relationships, transportation, education, and health care, whose distribution across populations effectively determines the length and quality of life.
* NB There are 2 § 240's