[HISTORY: Adopted by the Suffolk County Legislature as indicated
in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable. Uncodified
sections of local laws amending these provisions are included at the
end of this chapter.]
[Adopted 9-22-1987 by L.L. No. 36-1987 (Ch. 350 of the 1985
Code)]
A.Â
This Legislature hereby finds that recent incidents in this County
and other parts of this nation have revealed a shocking lack of safeguards
in the handling of medical specimens.
B.Â
This Legislature further finds that this lack of safeguards has resulted
in the unwarranted exposure of children to vials of contaminated blood,
including blood taken from victims of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
(AIDS).
C.Â
Therefore, the purpose of this article is to protect and promote
the public health, safety and general welfare by imposing some minimum
regulatory safeguards on the handling of medical specimens within
the County of Suffolk.
Any medical doctor, hospital or medical laboratory taking a
specimen of human urine, blood or feces for the purpose of transmittal
to a medical laboratory for examination or testing, who places such
specimens in an area readily accessible to the public outside of the
physical confines of said medical doctor's office, hospital or
medical laboratory, shall initially secure the container in which
such specimen is enclosed and shall further secure such specimen in
a second container which shall have a lock or other device physically
securing said second container against tampering and against opening
without a necessary key or other device available only to a duly authorized
representative either from the doctor's office, hospital or the
medical laboratory to which such container is to be transported. Said
second container shall also be affixed to the building at which such
specimens are picked up for transport to a medical laboratory from
the medical doctor's office, hospital or medical laboratory.
The Department of Health Services shall issue and promulgate
such rules and regulations as may be necessary to implement and carry
out the provisions of this article.
This article shall be enforced by the Suffolk County Department of Health Services in accordance with the provisions of Article II, §§ 760-12 through 760-24, of the Suffolk County Sanitary Code.
Any willful violation of § 590-2 of this article shall constitute an unclassified misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $500 or imprisonment not to exceed one year, or both such fine and imprisonment.
This article shall take effect January 1, 1988, and shall apply
to any transmittals of such medical specimens occurring on or after
January 1, 1988.
[Adopted 10-3-2017 by L.L. No. 24-2017]
A.Â
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that Suffolk County
is currently in the midst of an opiate addiction crisis. This Legislature
also finds and determines that many people addicted to opiates seek
help for their addiction at substance abuse treatment providers and
mental health service providers. This Legislature finds that naloxone
is an antidote that can reverse opiate overdose as they occur, saving
lives. This Legislature determines that mental health service providers
and substance abuse service organizations should have naloxone on
site with staff trained in its administration to protect the vulnerable
populations they serve.
B.Â
Therefore, the purpose of this article is to require mental health
service providers and substance abuse service providers which contract
with the County to have naloxone and employees trained in administering
Narcan on site at all times.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
Any entity which primarily provides mental health treatment,
therapy or counseling to persons, either individually or in a group
setting, at its premises. This definition shall not include an agency
that provides referral services only.
Any entity which primarily provides treatment, therapy or
counseling to persons for alcohol or substance abuse/addiction, either
individually or in a group setting, at its premises. This definition
shall not include agencies that provide referral services only.
A.Â
Prior to
the award of a County contract, grant or funding to a mental health
service provider or a substance abuse service provider, the mental
health service provider or substance abuse service provider must file
a written attestation with the County that it shall, during the term
of its contract or grant:
B.Â
All County
contracts with mental health service providers and substance abuse
service providers shall contain a provision setting forth the requirements
that the provider must have naloxone on premises at all times and
staff trained in naloxone administration on premises at all times
during business hours.
This article shall apply to all contracts entered into on or
after the effective date of this article.
